Lepaul’s remarkable rise gives Zidane another option as France face Italy

France will look to extend their unbeaten start under Zinedine Zidane when they host Italy on Friday, with Esteban Lepaul offering an unexpected source of encouragement in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.

Zidane has won both of his opening matches as France manager, against Turkey and Belgium. Although the team’s performances have not always been at their best, Sport reported that France have shown considerable resilience and, crucially, the efficiency required to turn their opportunities into victories.

Mbappe’s injury against Turkey means France have another opportunity on Friday to maintain their positive momentum and preserve their unbeaten record since Zidane took charge. The manager has a wealth of high-profile players from which to select his starting XI, but Lepaul has emerged as a particularly welcome surprise.

The Rennes striker finished last season as Ligue 1’s leading scorer, with 21 goals in 34 appearances. Yet behind those figures is a story of adversity that helps explain his rapid rise to the top level of French football.

From rejection to the top flight

Before becoming one of France’s most prominent forwards, Lepaul endured a difficult period in his career. In 2020, while he was still part of the Lyon academy, the club decided to release him. The decision hit the player hard and left him questioning whether he could continue pursuing a career in football at all.

His personal circumstances became even more challenging that same year. His father, Fabrice Lepaul, a former Auxerre player and former France Under-21 international, was involved in a serious road accident.

Lepaul and his family were subsequently faced with the painful decision to withdraw the life-support equipment keeping his father alive. Rather than allow those circumstances to end his ambitions, Lepaul found in football a way to move forward.

His progress thereafter was swift. During the 2023-2024 season, he joined Angers from Epinal and helped the club secure promotion to Ligue 1. After stepping up to the top division, he scored nine goals in his first season there, performances which attracted Rennes.

Rennes placed significant faith in the forward and paid about 13.5m euros to sign him.

Rennes breakthrough brings France call-up

It was with Rennes that Lepaul made the biggest breakthrough of his career. He responded to the club’s confidence with an outstanding campaign, scoring 21 goals and providing five assists in Ligue 1. Those numbers saw him finish the season as the competition’s top scorer.

His form eventually earned him a place in the France squad. Zidane included him in his first selection, and Lepaul made his international debut against Turkey on 25 September.

Three days later, he started France’s second match of the Zidane era against Belgium. Now, against Italy, he has another chance to show that his arrival in the national team is more than a reward for overcoming adversity.

For Lepaul, the match represents the next stage of a career that still appears to have considerable room for development.