Zinédine Zidane, who will unveil his first official list on September 18, obviously has a watchful eye on the young people who are shining. Several players never called up by Didier Deschamps have in any case received a pre-call-up. This is particularly the case of Andy Diouf, sparkling in the colors of Inter Milan, of Esteban Lepaul, the chief pyrotechnician of Stade Rennais, but also of Pablo Pagis, author of a good start to the season with Paris FC.
But according to RMC Sport, the young central defender of RC Lens, Ismaëlo Ganiou, is also among the players pre-summoned for the next gathering of the France team. This mark of confidence on the part of the French staff concretizes the meteoric rise of a player who never stops moving forward.
The turning point came at the end of 2025 following the serious injury of Jonathan Gradit. Established by force of circumstances, he very quickly became an essential rock of the blood and gold defense, displaying his sense of positioning, his physical impact and a disconcerting maturity for his age. Symbol of this successful integration: his XXL performance during the victory against Nice (3-1) in the final of the Coupe de France, where he reigned supreme in his area.
Zinedine Zidane was able to see him at work against Prague
Now extended until 2030 with RC Lens, the solid defender continues to confirm. Under the orders of his new coach, Dino Toppmöller, Ganiou changed his status to become the real boss of the Artesian rearguard. He proved it again on Thursday in Prague during the Sang et Or’s first outing in the Champions League. While his team was taking on water from all sides, the pure product of the Lensois training center had to “work for three”, allowing the French vice-champions not to sink.
Aware of the expectations placed on him, the person concerned keeps a cool head and measures the road that remains to be covered. “It’s a season of confirmation, to show that last year’s half-season was not a coincidence. I want to show that I am capable of lasting over time”he confided. An ambition which will be put to the test this fall, since the defender is preparing to compete at the very highest European level with the upcoming shocks in the Champions League against ogres like Manchester City and Liverpool.
Internationally, the player’s trajectory has also taken a new turn. After having honored a selection with Burkina Faso in June 2025, Ganiou took advantage of relaxations in FIFA regulations to change his sporting nationality. A choice immediately validated by two convincing capes in the French Espoirs jersey last March.
The next step, the highest, could therefore be the big leap among the A’s. The appointment is made for September 18: Zinédine Zidane will announce the lucky ones selected to play the first four days of the 2027 Nations League. On the program for the Blues, an intense marathon with a trip to Turkey in Kocaeli (September 25), a derby against Belgium in Brussels (September 28), before hosting Italy (October 2) then again the Red Devils (October 5).
