Ligue 1's top scorer Lepaul plays first European match and eyes Zidane's France squad

Estéban Lepaul is reaching a new milestone in his meteoric rise: the Stade Rennais striker plays his first-ever European match on Wednesday, away at Sturm Graz in Austria, just days before Zinédine Zidane publishes his first France squad list on Friday at 6 p.m.

Just two years ago, Lepaul was still playing in the National division with Épinal. Last season, at 26 years old, he became Ligue 1’s top scorer with 20 goals in a Rennes shirt — having only discovered the top flight the previous year with Angers SCO, signed in January 2024 just months before the club’s promotion to Ligue 1. A dizzying rise for a centre-forward praised for his finishing and movement off the ball.

His profile now interests the national team. France have a dense attack built around Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, but Lepaul would offer an alternative in the centre that neither Marcus Thuram — used in a two-man attack at Inter — nor Jean-Philippe Mateta fully cover.

Yet Lepaul’s story is not that of a talent from nowhere. Trained at Olympique Lyonnais, he rubbed shoulders in Youth League with players like Castello Lukeba, Pierre Kalulu, Maxence Caqueret and Rayan Cherki during the 2018-2019 season. Blocked by Amine Gouiri in the reserve team, he never managed to establish himself among Lyon’s professionals despite training with the senior group.

Son of Fabrice Lepaul, a former prospect at AJ Auxerre, Estéban went through a difficult period following his father’s death in a road accident. He then chose to return to his home region to join Épinal, in the N2 division, a club that later climbed to the National. It was this spell in the lower divisions, away from the spotlight, that allowed him to build the solidity and maturity he is now recognised for in Ligue 1.