Zinedine Zidane signals a new era with first France squad

Zinedine Zidane has made an immediate impression as France manager after naming a first squad that French newspapers say clearly marks a break from the Didier Deschamps era.

L’Equipe led with the headline “Zidane decides from the outset”, while Le Parisien said the new manager had already begun putting his stamp on the national team, according to Foot Mercato.

Zidane unveiled his squad on Friday in a carefully staged presentation featuring video footage and accompanying music. The selection is for the Nations League and included the omission of Aurelien Tchouameni, N’Golo Kante and the Hernandez brothers.

Those absences have been interpreted as a sign that the international careers of several members of France’s previous generation may be entering a new phase. Zidane also appears ready to hand the captaincy to Kylian Mbappe, underlining his vision for a fresh period with Les Bleus.

Five first-time call-ups

Renewal was the defining feature of Zidane’s first squad, with five players receiving their first call-up to the France senior team.

The newcomers are Andy Diouf, Guillaume Restes, Lucas Da Cunha, Jeremy Jacquet and striker Esteban Lepaul, whose attacking performances have attracted particular attention.

Adrien Truffert and Pierre Kalulu have also returned to contention, while Zidane opted not to select players including Maghnes Akliouche and Malo Gusto.

The manager explained some of his decisions by saying he wanted to begin a new four-year cycle. He stressed that the next stage would require the group to be reshaped gradually rather than changed all at once.

Zidane also identified left-back as one of the positions most in need of strengthening. That assessment led him to consider new solutions to address the lack of depth in the role.

Tchouameni absence explained

Although the omission of several established players drew considerable attention, Zidane said not every decision had been based on footballing reasons.

He stated that Tchouameni had been left out because of his physical condition. The midfielder has only recently returned to action, and the coaching staff considered it preferable not to rush him back into the squad.

Zidane was more guarded when questioned about some of the more difficult choices in his selection. Instead, he emphasised his focus on the sporting task ahead as he begins an attempt to build a France squad capable of competing over the next four years.

L’Equipe’s front page on Saturday, 19 September 2026, reflected the reaction to the appointment and selection, describing Zidane’s approach as a decisive early intervention.