Kylian Mbappe Named Captain as Zidane Takes Charge of France
Zinedine Zidane has wasted no time stamping his authority on France. On Friday, the new Les Bleus boss confirmed what many expected but still wanted to hear out loud: Kylian Mbappe will be his captain.
The Real Madrid forward, already the face of French football, now officially wears the armband in the post-Deschamps era. He excelled as skipper at the recent World Cup, firing 10 goals to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, even if France’s run ended in the semi-finals against eventual champions Spain.
That defeat closed the book on Didier Deschamps’ 14-year reign, a tenure defined by the 2018 World Cup triumph and near-constant presence at the business end of major tournaments. Zidane, his former midfield partner in France’s golden generation that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was unveiled at the end of July on a four-year deal. Now comes the hard part: reshaping a giant without losing its edge.
A new cycle, a new captain
Zidane didn’t dress the decision up. Mbappe is his leader. The 25-year-old has already carried the team on the biggest stage; now he becomes the central pillar of a new project.
His first tests arrive in the UEFA Nations League. France travel to Turkey next Friday before heading to Brussels to face Belgium on September 28. The home debut for Zidane follows on October 2 against Italy at the Stade de France, with Belgium visiting Paris three days later. It’s a demanding start, but exactly the kind of schedule Zidane has never shied away from.
Fresh faces and big calls
The squad he named on Friday underlined that this is not just a continuity exercise. Several new names have been promoted, and a few established ones have been left out.
Jeremy Jacquet, the 21-year-old centre-back, is rewarded for an impressive start to life at Liverpool after his summer move to the Premier League. Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul, last season’s top scorer in Ligue 1, earns a first call-up and brings a pure goalscorer’s profile into the group. In midfield, Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Serie A gets his chance, as does versatile Inter Milan player Andy Diouf, who can operate in midfield or at wing-back. Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes completes the list of newcomers.
Those selections come with notable absentees. Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and Inter forward Marcus Thuram, both present at the World Cup, are not in this squad. Arsenal defender William Saliba misses out through injury. For a first list, Zidane has been bold.
Zidane’s France: the first squad
- 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)
It is a squad that mixes heavyweights with hungry debutants, World Cup winners with players still chasing their first cap. Mbappe leads it now, with Zidane watching from the touchline. The Deschamps era is over; the Zidane era starts in Turkey.
