In the world of attackers for the France team, there are two categories. Those who shone during this gathering, for the debut on the bench of Zinédine Zidane. They are Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, and Kylian Mbappé. And there are those who finished this international window without a goal or an assist: Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and Estéban Lepaul.
Not everyone has the same status, and we can legitimately think that the first two have enough credit to be assured of being on the next list. For Lepaul, on the other hand, nothing is assured.
Top scorer in Ligue 1 last season, the Rennes striker has a pure No.9 profile which made Zinédine Zidane want to see him. The former Angers player was entitled to two starts, against Belgium, on the first leg and on the return leg. He did not know how to take advantage of it to make an impression.
LePaul called again in November?
“He still has a way to go before returning to the French team. He didn’t really exist. He has good movement, good movements but he does not have the quality of speed required, in a few spaces, to make the difference or position himself outside marking, to go deep or add percussion over a few meters, judged Emmanuel Petit on RMC. When I look at him, I tell myself that he is an intelligent boy when it comes to moving around, but he lacks a lot of qualities to reach the highest level. I hope he manages to reach these milestones. »
Asked about the Lepaul case in L’Equipe, Alain Giresse was a little more moderate. “He almost scored. In the first half, for an attacker like him, it was complicated with little space: the balls didn’t reach him. But he had this presence. It is made to finalize and be at the receiving end of crosses, in the area,” confided the former midfielder.
With his style of play, and this role of finisher, we have to accept that it is sometimes all or nothing with a player like Estéban Lepaul: either he scores and his match is successful, or he is of little use to the game. But if he did not find the fault in the match, the 26-year-old player had time to show himself in training.
“His effectiveness against goal made an impression during the first sessions at Clairefontaine”confides the journalist from L’Equipe, Anthony Clément.
For the next lists, and in particular that of November, we will have to see if Zidane gives him another chance, or if the coach calls on another player. Either an old one, like Marcus Thuram, Jean-Philippe Mateta or Randal Kolo Muani, or a new one like Junior Kroupi (injured since the start of the season). In the medium term, Hugo Ekitiké may also apply.
