Tomorrow, Zinedine Zidane will experience his second highlight with the France team. After being inducted at the head of the Blues on July 28, the 1998 world champion will unveil his first list for the next Nations League matches against Turkey (September 25), Belgium (September 28, October 5) and Italy (October 2). Unsurprisingly, the 68 million French coaches are wondering who will be the first players with whom Zidane will begin his mandate. This evening, The Team tried to provide some answers.
For the goalkeeper position, Rossonero Mike Maignan will retain his status as number 1 goalkeeper. For the other two places, the new goalkeeper coach, Fabien Barthez, wants change, according to the newspaper. If Robin Risser has any chance of returning to blue, the main victim should be Rennais Brice Samba (32 years old). The names of Jean Butez (Côme, 31 years old) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse, 21 years old) are mentioned. In defense, Zidane should keep several executives in the central sector such as Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté. With a back injury, William Saliba will not be in the game and L’Équipe indicates that his replacement will probably be Jérémy Jacquet (21), author of a good start to the season with Liverpool.
Several globalists in danger
Often cited to join the list, Lensois Ismaëlo Ganiou should not appear on the list. Like Samba, Lucas Hernandez and Maxence Lacroix could also pay the price for the change wanted by ZZ. A desire which could even benefit Wesley Fofana (25 years old), whose only appearance in the tricolor jersey dates from June 2023. As for the full-back position, Theo Hernandez and Lucas Digne are clearly in danger on the left side, while Adrien Truffert (24 years old, Bournemouth) and Matthieu Udol (30 years old, Lens) would be very well placed. For the right flank, Zidane would appreciate the Bianconero Pierre Kalulu (26 years old, Juventus) and would be tempted by the idea of imitating Luis Enrique and installing the Parisian Warren Zaire-Emery in this position.
In the middle, the daily assures that the main novelty could be defensive midfielder Lucas Da Cunha (25 years old, Como). Didier Deschamps’ basic man, N’Golo Kanté (35) should not be called up. Finally, most of the attack should be renewed. Only Marcus Thuram and Jean-Philippe Mateta are debated within the Blues staff. Mateta would be the least well placed, which could benefit a newcomer, Estéban Lepaul (26 years old, Rennes), whose profile has been “particularly studied by the staff” these last few days. Will these trends be confirmed? Answer tomorrow, from 6 p.m.!
