Zidane opts for 4-3-3 formation that benches Désiré Doué for France

Zinédine Zidane unveiled his first squad list as France manager with 23 players called up for a gathering of four matches in less than two weeks. The choice of such a tight group, combined with the coach’s statements in his press conference, clearly points towards a 4-3-3 system.

When asked about the number of forwards he intended to field, Zidane was unambiguous: “Four forwards, we shouldn’t overdo it.” An answer that, combined with the position distribution retained by the FFF — eight defenders, six midfielders, six forwards — confirms the abandonment of the 4-2-3-1 that had structured Didier Deschamps’ tenure.

The main loser from this system change is Désiré Doué. Under Deschamps, the Paris player regularly occupied the role of fourth attacking element in the diamond. In a 4-3-3 where Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé appear as the three starting forwards, Doué finds himself relegated to substitute status, even though he should feature among the first rotation options given such a packed schedule.

The other unknown from this squad concerns Rayan Cherki. The Manchester United player is listed among the midfielders, but his profile is by far the most attacking of the six players selected for that position. His presence leaves open the possibility of a occasional return to 4-2-3-1, a variant of 4-3-3 with the midfield triangle pushed higher up.

Two starting elevens emerge from the squad published by the FFF. The first: Maignan — Koundé, Upamecano, Konaté, Truffert — Zaïre-Emery, Koné, Rabiot — Olise, Dembélé, Mbappé. The second, more focused on rotation: Risser (or Restes) — Kalulu, Jacquet, Lacroix, Diouf — Da Cunha, Camavinga — Cherki — Doué, Lepaul, Barcola.