Zidane unveils first France squad with several young talents in view

Zinédine Zidane unveils on Friday at 6 p.m. his first squad as France national team manager during a press conference held at the FFF headquarters in Paris. Two months after his official presentation as Didier Deschamps’ successor, “Zizou” is expected to open the doors to a new generation while preserving the core of the Blues.

The called-up squad will gather as early as Monday at Clairefontaine. Zidane has decided to end the traditional media “parade” upon players’ arrival. This international window will mark the start of the 2026-2027 Ligue des Nations edition, with four matches on the agenda: trips to Turkey on September 25 and Belgium on September 28, then hosting Italy on October 2 and another clash against the Red Devils on October 5.

In goal, Fabien Barthez, brought into the staff by Zidane, could reshuffle the cards. Brice Samba would be under threat, while Jean Butez (Como) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) would be among the profiles appreciated by the new manager. In defence, William Saliba’s back injury opens the door to Jérémy Jacquet (Liverpool). The names of Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus) and Dayann Méthalie (Sunderland) are circulating, though not all are assured of a call-up.

In midfield, few upheavals are expected. N’Golo Kanté should not be recalled, which could revive Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) despite limited playing time at club level. Lucas Da Cunha (Como) and Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) are also mentioned. This squad comes after a 2026 World Cup concluded in fourth place, and is part of a gradual rebuild ahead of Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.