Zinedine Zidane names first France squad with five debutants

Zinedine Zidane has selected 23 players for his first France squad, including Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, as the new manager prepares for four Nations League fixtures.

France will face Belgium twice, as well as Italy and Turkey, in the opening schedule. Zidane’s side begin with an away match against Turkey on 25 September before travelling to Belgium.

The fixtures continue with France’s visit to Italy on 2 October, followed three days later by a home game against Belgium, known as the Red Devils.

Zidane has opted for a 23-man squad, rather than selecting a larger group as some other national teams have done.

Five players have been called up for the first time. Guillaume Restes is included among the goalkeepers, while defenders Andy Diouf and Jeremy Jacquet also receive their first France selection.

Midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, representing Como, is another newcomer. Esteban Lepaul is the only uncapped forward named by Zidane.

The squad otherwise contains few surprises, with Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola joining Mbappe and Dembele among the better-known names.

France ended the World Cup with two successive defeats. Spain, who went on to win the tournament, beat them 2-0 in the semi-final, before England prevailed 6-4 in an entertaining third-place play-off.

France squad

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse), Robin Risser (Lens).

Defenders: Andy Diouf (Inter Milan), Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid), Jules Kounde (Barcelone), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Lucas Da Cunha (Come), Manu Kone (AS Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG).

Forwards: Bradley Barcola (Liverpool), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Desire Doue (PSG), Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).