Pavard targets France return under Zidane after two years away

Benjamin Pavard displayed his ambitions for France after Inter Milan’s victory over Parma (3-0) on Saturday in Serie A, where the defender was one of the Nerazzurri’s standout performers. Absent from the Blues since his 55th cap against Italy on 17 November 2024, the 2018 World Cup winner has not ruled out a return to the national team.

“France, of course, is in the back of my mind,” admitted the 30-year-old defender after the match. “I’m not putting any particular pressure on myself, it will come down to my performances.” A clear philosophy: convince on the pitch before hoping for a call from Zinédine Zidane, who has since taken the reins of the France team.

The difficult period Pavard experienced at Marseille, where he had been sidelined by Didier Deschamps, now belongs to the past. Back at Inter Milan this summer, he has made three starts so far this season and appears to be rediscovering his best form. “Right now, it’s true that I wasn’t called up, not even for the last World Cup. It will come down to my club performances. I need to play and, when I play, I need to be good. After that, we’ll see,” he said.

The road ahead remains fraught with obstacles, however. Competition is fierce at centre-back for the Blues, where Zidane appears to favour younger profiles. Pavard knows this and harbours no illusions about the difficulty of the task, but his resurgence at Milan at least gives him a platform to make his case.