Expected to be the big back-to-school event, Zinédine Zidane’s first list at the head of the Blues will be revealed next Friday at 6 p.m. On the program for the French team: four Nations League matches against Turkey (September 25), Belgium (September 29), Italy (October 2), then Belgium again but this time at home (October 5).
It’s hard to imagine ZZ overturning all the codes of his predecessor Didier Deschamps, but the first names to emerge from his pre-list are already outlining certain directions. This week, we learned thatEstéban Lepaul had thus received his first pre-call-up in Blues. Top scorer in Ligue 1 last season (21 goals), the 26-year-old striker got off to a good start with 3 goals scored in as many matches. He has never played in the European Cup (he will discover the Europa League with Rennes this season), but his performances in Ligue 1 logically attracted the attention of the coach.
Lens and Rennes well represented among the pre-summoned
He is not the only one in this case since Pablo Pagisequally inexperienced on a European scale, received his first call-up to the Blues according to The Team. Author of 10 goals and 5 assists in L1 last season with Lorient, the 23-year-old left winger trained in Rennes joined Paris FC this summer, where he is already establishing himself as a starter. A decisive passer against OM last weekend (2-3), he confirms the special attention given by the coach to Ligue 1.
In recent hours, we learned thatIsmaëlo Ganiou had also been pre-selected by Zidane. Having become a sure bet in the French championship in less than a year, the Lens defender gave up the Burkina Faso national team in recent months (he had a selection with the Stallions) to join the Bleuets group. If the competition is fierce for his position, especially with a Jeremy Jacquet in full rise with Liverpool, the 21-year-old player could quickly find a place among the candidates to be taken seriously if he confirms in the Champions League. What aboutAndy Diouf ? The former Lensois, impressive since the start of the season as right piston with Inter Milan, also received his first pre-call-up with the A. It remains to be seen whether one of them will pass the pre-selection threshold.
