Zidane’s First France Squad: Blending Stars with New Talent

Zinedine Zidane has shown his hand. For his first 23-man France squad since replacing Didier Deschamps in the summer, he has chosen continuity laced with clear, calculated risk.

According to RMC Sport, the new head coach has built his inaugural list around 15 players from the recent World Cup campaign, keeping a solid spine in place for the 2026-2027 Nations League. The message is obvious: the core remains, but the hierarchy is no longer untouchable.

At the top of that hierarchy, nothing has changed. Kylian Mbappé leads the group as captain, flanked by Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise. With that attacking trio as the face of the project, France will try to impose themselves in League A, where they have been drawn into a heavyweight group with Türkiye, Belgium, and Italy.

Five New Faces, One Clear Direction

The real intrigue lies beneath the headline names. Zidane has turned to five uncapped players, dipping into France’s vast reservoir of emerging talent.

Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet receives his first senior call-up, stepping in with William Saliba absent. It is a significant show of trust in the young centre-back, and a sign that reputations alone will not guarantee a place.

He is joined by Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, another debutant, and Inter Milan full-back Andy Diouf, whose versatility gives Zidane extra options in the defensive unit.

Further up the pitch, Como playmaker Lucas Da Cunha has been rewarded with a spot in midfield, recognition for his rise in Italy. Up front, Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul, last season’s top scorer in Ligue 1, forces his way into the squad on merit. His inclusion underlines a simple rule under Zidane: form counts.

These additions are not cosmetic. They signal a deliberate refresh as France move into a new cycle that will run towards Euro 2028. The guard is not fully changing yet, but the door has been opened.

Big Names Left Behind

New blood comes at a cost. Some familiar figures have been left looking in from the outside.

Zidane has omitted several long-serving pillars of the national team, including N’Golo Kanté, Lucas Hernandez, and Lucas Digne. Their absence from this first list is striking. These are players associated with France’s recent golden era, now on the wrong side of a selection call that feels symbolic.

The decision suggests Zidane is already shaping a new tactical structure and a different dressing-room dynamic. With Arsenal centre-back Saliba also missing, the back line in particular is being reimagined. Established status has not protected anyone.

France are not short of depth, and that is precisely what gives Zidane the freedom to be ruthless. Leaving out such experienced names sends a clear signal: this is his team now, and sentiment will not dictate selection.

A New Era Begins on the Road

The Zidane era starts in earnest next Friday in Kocaeli, where France face Türkiye in their opening Nations League fixture. It will be the first real glimpse of how these choices translate on the pitch — how the blend of World Cup veterans and untested talent holds up under pressure.

From there, the schedule tightens. France head to Brussels to meet Belgium on September 28, a clash that will immediately test their defensive reshuffle and attacking chemistry. Then comes a return to the Stade de France, where Italy await on October 2 in what already feels like a statement night.

The first block of this campaign closes with a second showdown against Belgium on October 5, again in Paris. By then, the questions around Zidane’s bold first squad will start to have answers: has he simply refreshed France, or has he begun to rebuild them from the ground up?