Zidane names Dembélé, Rabiot and Koundé as vice-captains alongside Mbappé

Zinédine Zidane revealed his captaincy hierarchy for the France national team on Friday at a press conference, ahead of facing Turkey in the Nations League — his very first match in charge of Les Bleus. Kylian Mbappé will wear the armband when he is on the pitch, but the new manager has chosen three lieutenants to support him.

“They are Kylian, Ousmane (Dembélé), Adrien (Rabiot) and Jules (Koundé),” Zidane declared, confirming an organizational structure for the captaincy that he had announced without specifying the names. The successor to Didier Deschamps had indeed warned that Mbappé would not be the sole holder of this responsibility.

The choice of Dembélé is the most commented upon. The Paris Saint-Germain winger and the star striker of Les Bleus are presented as rivals in the race for the Ballon d’Or, and some rumors suggest tensions between the two men. Their association within the group of captains requires them to work closely together at every gathering.

Rabiot, an experienced midfielder with several years in the national team, and Koundé, a starting defender for FC Barcelona, complete a quartet that covers the entire pitch. Zidane thus appears to want to distribute leadership across multiple profiles and lines of play, rather than concentrating everything on a single player.

The match against Turkey will be the first real test of this new staff and this new hierarchy, in a context where Les Bleus are seeking to turn the page after their elimination in the Euro 2024 semi-final.