After words, it’s time to act. This Monday, Zinedine Zidane and his staff will launch their adventure at the head of the French team a little more concretely. After discussing his choice to take charge of the national selection last July, then revealing his first list last Friday at 6 p.m., Zizou will do what he prefers: coach. Now it’s time for the former midfielder to welcome the 23 Bleus to whom he called up this Monday. Among them, three guards. Unsurprisingly, Mike Maignan (AC Milan) is present. He was a starter under Didier Deschamps. A priori, he should retain his number one position. For the other two places, the new staff summoned Robin Risser (Lens), who was DD’s surprise guest during the last World Cup, and Guillaume Restes (TFC).
For him, who played in the young French selections but also with the Espoirs (19 caps), it is a great first with the A. A choice that ZZ briefly explained on Friday to the press. “And why not Guillaume Restes? It’s a thoughtful, assumed choice. We’re going to do with these three goalkeepers. With Fabien (Barthez), we have the same vision of what a goalkeeper is. He has the experience. He’s been there. We speak the same football. Fabien Barthez, who is the goalkeeper coach, knows Restes very well since his time with the Pitchounes as a consultant. His potential, his qualities but also the desire of the staff to cast a wide net opened the doors to the French A team. Maignan and two promising young goalkeepers, this is the new trio on which Barthez and Zizou wanted to bet.
The Barthez paw
But yesterday, they had to make a new choice after Risser’s last minute withdrawal. It was ultimately Jean Butez who was called to the rescue, as the FFF specified in its press release. “Robin Risser (RC Lens) will not join the French team. He is replaced by Jean Butez (Como 1907). After discussions between the medical staff of the French team and RC Lens, Robin Risser, physically weakened, will not join the group for the training course and these 4 Blues matches in 11 days. He is replaced by Jean Butez. A choice which is not so surprising since some media had announced that he had been preselected by Zizou. But it ended up not being on his first list. Risser’s package allows him to join the Tricolores and make history somewhere.
Indeed, at 31 years and 3 months, he is the oldest player to receive his first call-up to the French A selection since Gérard Farison (32 years and 1 month) in 1976 according to StatsduFoot. By choosing Butez, the staff also gave up other goalkeepers. How not to think of Brice Samba. Number 3 for a moment, the Rennes goalkeeper was later promoted to the rank of Maignan’s understudy. A role that he occupied just a few months ago during the 2026 World Cup. He has since paid the price for the change of staff which places him at least behind Risser, Restes and Butez. He is therefore at least a fifth choice, or even more. Recently, The Team explained that Zizou and his teams did not see themselves entrusting him with the role of understudy for Maignan.
Winners and losers
It’s not a question of age since Butez (31 years old) is called up. But rather in profile. Samba (32 years old) does not have what the staff is looking for. Despite his experience (4 selections) and his understanding with Maignan, the Rennais, who accepted this role of No. 2 or No. 3 without flinching, is far behind. A choice that some supporters understand, they who see it as a breath of freshness and renewal. But the majority, they do not fully understand and believe that Samba deserves to be No. 2 compared to its competitors and that its age is the reason for this downgrading more than its level. A handful even accuse Barthez, who also called a player of almost the same age. Even further behind, we find Lucas Chevalier (24 years old), downgraded in club and selection last year. Understudy for Maignan, he lost his place after a very difficult season at PSG. Third in March, he was finally overtaken by Risser in the final straight. He therefore missed the World Cup.
This summer, a departure was mentioned, since he left behind Matvey Safonov. The transfer of Zion Suzuki was also supposed to finish him off. Eventually, the Japanese signed for Aston Villa. Chevalier, who did not want to hear about leaving, stayed. A choice which is not paying off for the moment since the Russian still occupies the Parisian cages. The former LOSC player did not play a single minute. His absence from the French team is therefore not a surprise. Destined to be the understudy or even a competitor for Maignan after his time at LOSC, Chevalier is clearly losing ground on the competition, which is getting younger and is favored by the new staff. In a few months, he saw 4 goalkeepers pass him by (Samba and Risser with DD, Restes and Butez with ZZ). But that’s the law of sport. In the meantime, it is the Maignan-Restes-Butez trio who will represent the country against Turkey (September 25), Belgium (September 28, October 5) and Italy (October 2) in the Nations League.
