Zidane’s France shortlist built from 55 players and a three-stage scouting process

Zinedine Zidane is preparing to name his first France squad on Friday evening, with the team due to play four matches in the Nations League.

According to Foot Mercato, the France manager has used the long preparation period to assess players in detail through a carefully structured scouting system.

Zidane has not radically changed the way the initial squad is selected. A preliminary list of 55 players was drawn up, with five candidates considered for each position. However, the coaching staff also made a concerted effort to monitor players who have received less attention in the media.

The responsibilities were divided among the staff, L’Equipe reported. Fabien Barthez was tasked with assessing goalkeepers and, for example, was seen watching a match in Toulouse. Players in other positions were generally assessed twice, and in some cases three times.

David Bettoni, Zidane’s trusted assistant, contributed his coaching experience, while Stephane Blanc focused more heavily on scouting and observation, his specialist area. The pair have formed a highly complementary partnership after working together for six years at Real Madrid.

Blanc’s work extended beyond French players. His role also allowed him to watch some of France’s forthcoming opponents, with Turkiye, Belgium and Italy all included in the Nations League schedule.

The staff then established a regular system for reviewing the players under consideration. Zidane and his assistants met every two weeks to assess their observations and decide which players required particular attention.

Players assessed across several competitions

The French newspaper reported that Adrien Truffert was watched twice from the stands while playing for Bournemouth. Lucas Da Cunha also attracted attention after making an impressive start to the season with Como.

Fred Tabat, the new video analyst, was another regular part of the process. Bettoni was given particular responsibility for Germany and Italy, while Blanc concentrated on France and several other competitions. Tabat mainly followed matches in England and Spain.

The arrangement was also designed to prevent a player being judged on the basis of a single performance or impression. Every three months, the scouting areas will rotate, allowing different members of the coaching staff to monitor potential France players during the season.

That approach is intended to provide several assessments before a final decision is made. Zidane himself has not travelled extensively so far and has only been seen at the Stade Bollaert, where he watched the French Super Cup match between Lens and Paris Saint-Germain.

L’Equipe said Zidane’s status as a global icon can make it difficult to organise his movements on occasion. The focus now is on seeing the results of the work in his first France squad, which will show which new faces have earned a place in the plans of the 1998 world champions.