PARIS: The Zidane France squad will retain Kylian Mbappe as captain after new coach Zinedine Zidane named his first 23-player group Friday for four UEFA Nations League matches.
Zidane, appointed on July 28 to succeed Didier Deschamps, confirmed the Real Madrid forward would continue wearing the armband. Mbappe finished the recent World Cup as top scorer with 10 goals as France reached the semi-finals.
The new coach also brought several fresh faces into the squad. Liverpool centre-back Jeremy Jacquet earned a call-up, while Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul joined after finishing last season as Ligue 1’s leading scorer.
Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, Inter Milan’s Andy Diouf and Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes were also selected.
However, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and Inter forward Marcus Thuram were left out. Arsenal defender William Saliba missed the squad through injury.
Zidane said some absences reflected injuries or limited playing time. He added that he had put extensive preparation into his selections since taking charge.
Read: Zinedine Zidane Appointed France Coach on Deal to 2030
France will begin Zidane’s tenure away to Turkey on September 25, followed by a trip to Belgium on September 28. Both matches are scheduled for 11:45 p.m. PKT. France will then host Italy at the Stade de France on October 2 before facing Belgium there on October 5.
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The Zidane France squad begins a new era after Deschamps ended a 14-year spell that included France’s 2018 World Cup triumph. Zidane signed a four-year contract after taking over the national team.
