Jean Butez: Oldest France Call-Up Since 1976
Jean Butez was still on the plane when his life changed.
Fresh from an away game with Como, sitting alongside team-mate Lucas Da Cunha, the 31-year-old goalkeeper switched his phone back on after landing. A message flashed up. Then the reality sank in.
He was in Zinedine Zidane’s France squad.
Oldest debut call since 1976
At 31 years and three months, Butez has taken the long road to Clairefontaine. His late call makes him the oldest player to receive a first France call-up since Gerard Farison in 1976 – a stat he has already seen, and clearly enjoyed.
“I saw that stat, it’s pretty cool that I’m the one who broke that record. But you’re never too old for your first selection. Obviously, I wasn’t expecting it,” he admitted after arriving at CNF Clairefontaine.
The opportunity only opened up because of misfortune elsewhere. RC Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser pulled out of the squad after physical issues, a decision made following talks between the medical teams. Butez didn’t hide his sympathy.
He knows this chance comes at someone else’s expense. He’s determined to make it count.
From Antwerp hero to Les Bleus rookie
This is not a bolt from the blue for those who have followed his career closely. The former Lille, Mouscron, and Royal Antwerp keeper has built a reputation as a reliable, battle-tested No.1.
In 2023, he stood at the heart of Royal Antwerp’s historic domestic treble, racking up 27 clean sheets in a season that pushed his name firmly into the European spotlight. That body of work now carries him into a France dressing room packed with elite talent.
His first training session with Les Bleus came under the eye of newly appointed goalkeeping coach Fabien Barthez, a man who knows exactly what it takes to stand in that goal at the highest level. For Butez, it was a step into a different universe.
"Now, I’m here to replace him and discover a bit of this world, this group," he said. "And I’m the happiest."
No bravado. Just a keeper who has waited a long time for a door to open.
Zidane’s France brace for brutal schedule
This is not a gentle introduction, either. Butez joins up ahead of a punishing UEFA Nations League window: four games in eleven days. France will face Turkey, Italy, and a double-header against Belgium in a run that will stretch Zidane’s squad and test every layer of depth.
For a coach reshaping his group and sharpening competition in every position, a seasoned professional like Butez is more than a feel-good story. He is insurance. He is pressure on the established order. He is proof that form and resilience can still be rewarded, even in your thirties.
The Como keeper may not start. He may not play a minute. But he changes the tone of the goalkeeping group simply by being there – a late-blooming newcomer who has earned his place the hard way.
France chase a strong start to their Nations League campaign. Butez, finally in the room, now has the stage he has spent a career trying to reach.
