Zinedine Zidane Names Kylian Mbappe as France Captain
Zinedine Zidane has wasted no time putting his stamp on France. On Friday, the new national team coach confirmed what many expected but still wanted to hear out loud: Kylian Mbappe will be his captain.
The Real Madrid forward wore the armband at the World Cup and carried the team with it, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals. France still fell short, beaten by eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals, but Mbappe’s authority and influence were unmistakable. Zidane has seen enough. The armband stays with him.
Zidane era begins after Deschamps’ long reign
That World Cup exit closed the book on Didier Deschamps’ 14-year spell in charge, a tenure defined by the 2018 World Cup triumph and near-constant presence at the sharp end of major tournaments. Zidane, his former teammate from the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 glory years, was unveiled at the end of July on a four-year deal.
Now comes the hard part: turning page without tearing it out.
His first tests arrive in the UEFA Nations League. France travel to Turkey next Friday, then face Belgium in Brussels on September 28. The first home outing under Zidane will be a heavyweight date with Italy at the Stade de France on October 2, followed by another clash with Belgium three days later. It’s a start that offers no hiding place.
New names, clear message
Zidane’s first squad underlines both continuity and a ruthless willingness to refresh. The most eye-catching decisions come in defence and attack, where several newcomers are rewarded for club form.
At the back, 21-year-old centre-back Jeremy Jacquet earns a call-up after impressing since his summer move to Liverpool. His inclusion signals that strong Premier League performances will be noticed quickly under the new regime.
Up front, Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul, last season’s top scorer in Ligue 1, finally gets his chance with Les Bleus. In midfield, Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Serie A is brought in, another nod to players thriving outside the traditional French powerhouses.
Andy Diouf, who can operate in midfield or at wing-back for Inter Milan, joins the group as well, while Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes is rewarded with a place among the keepers.
The flip side of opportunity is omission. Several big names from the World Cup squad are absent. Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and Inter forward Marcus Thuram are both left out, while Arsenal defender William Saliba misses out through injury. Zidane is clearly not treating reputations as guarantees.
The squad in full
Goalkeepers:
Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Robin Risser (Lens), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse)
Defenders:
Andy Diouf (Inter Milan/ITA), Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool/ENG), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid/ESP), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus/ITA), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea/ENG), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders:
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City/ENG), Lucas Da Cunha (Como/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan/ITA), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards:
Bradley Barcola (Liverpool/ENG), Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue (both Paris Saint-Germain), Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid/ESP), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/GER)
Zidane, 54, steps into this new chapter with all the weight of his past. A former Ballon d’Or winner, a World Cup and European champion as a player, he also carries the memory of his final act in a France shirt: the red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final, which Italy won on penalties. Now he returns not as the artist on the pitch, but as the architect on the touchline.
He has his captain. He has his first squad. The Nations League will tell France how quickly Zidane can turn a new cycle into a new force.
