Zidane reveals first team line-up for Nations League

Zinedine Zidane, the new head coach of France's national men's football team, unveiled his first line-up on Friday, September 18, 2026, featuring five new players and excluding midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Marcus Thuram. Star forward Kylian Mbappé was named captain of the squad.

The announcement followed Zidane's appointment in July 2026, marking a significant moment for the French football icon as he took charge of Les Bleus. The new line-up included five debutantes, among them goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, defenders Andy Diouf and Jérémy Jacquet, midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, and striker Esteban Le Paul.

The full list of 23 players named by Zidane consists of:

Goalkeepers:
Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
Guillaume Restes (Toulouse)
Robin Risser (Lens).

Defenders:
Andy Diouf (Inter Milan)
Jérémy Jacquet (Liverpool)
Pierre Kalulu (Juventus)
Ibrahima Konaté (Real Madrid)
Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea)
Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth)
Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).

Midfielders:
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
Lucas Da Cunha (Como)
Manu Koné (AS Roma)
Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan)
Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG).

Forwards:
Bradley Barcola (Liverpool)
Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
Désiré Doué (PSG)
Estéban Lepaul (Rennes)
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).

The new era for France under Zidane promises exciting times ahead as the team prepares for upcoming matches in the Nations League.