ON
← Back to feed
France's new head coach Zidane unveils team line-up for Nations League matches
France⚽ Sports

France's new head coach Zidane unveils team line-up for Nations League matches

Zinedine Zidane has announced his first selection as the head coach of the French national football team, known as Les Bleus, following his appointment in July. He has chosen Kylian Mbappé as team captain and included several new players, such as goalkeeper Guillaume Restes and defender Andy Diouf, while omitting previous squad members like Aurélien Tchouaméni and Marcus Thuram. Zidane, who led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles, now faces the challenge of guiding France toward future successes, including the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup. The team's upcoming matches include games against Turkey, Belgium, and Italy. This marks Zidane's return to coaching the national team, following in the footsteps of other members of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad.

Zinédine Zidane has unveiled his first squad for France, prioritizing youth and fresh talent while maintaining continuity. The 54-year-old former world champion, who took charge of the national team in July, selected 23 players, including five newcomers. Among them are goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, defenders Andy Diouf and Jérémy Jacquet, midfielder Lucas Da Cunha and forward Esteban Le Paul. Kylian Mbappé, the standout player of the 2022 World Cup, was named captain. Zidane’s selection reflects his focus on integrating young talent into the core of the team. He opted to exclude several veteran players, including midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Marcus Thuram, as well as injured defender William Saliba. The squad features a mix of established stars and emerging talents, aiming to prepare France for upcoming tournaments such as the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup. The new lineup includes goalkeepers Mike Maignan, Robin Risser and Guillaume Restes. Defenders Andy Diouf, Jérémy Jacquet, Pierre Kalulu, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, Adrien Truffert and Dayot Upamecano make up the backline. Midfielders Eduardo Camavinga, Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot and Warren Zaïre-Emery are included. Forwards Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Estéban Lepaul, Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise round out the roster. Zidane’s debut as France coach begins with the UEFA Nations League group stage. His first match is against Turkey on September 25 in Izmit. France will then face Belgium in Brussels on September 28. The team hosts Italy at the Stade de France on October 2 and welcomes Belgium three days later. This marks Zidane’s return to international coaching after his successful tenure at Real Madrid, where he led the club to three consecutive Champions League titles. Zidane, who played alongside Didier Deschamps in the 1998 World Cup-winning squad, succeeds the legendary coach who guided France to victory in 2018. Zidane’s appointment signals a shift towards a younger, dynamic approach, building on France’s rich history of success. The new squad aims to continue the legacy of past greats while forging a path toward future glory.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

2 reports

France 24 (English) logoFrance 24 (English)State / PublicCenterFactual 85Objective 85
France's new head coach Zidane unveils team line-up for Nations League matches

Zinedine Zidane has announced his first selection as the head coach of the French national football team, known as Les Bleus, following his appointment in July. He has chosen Kylian Mbappé as team captain and included several new players, such as goalkeeper Guillaume Restes and defender Andy Diouf, while omitting previous squad members like Aurélien Tchouaméni and Marcus Thuram. Zidane, who led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles, now faces the challenge of guiding France toward future successes, including the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup. The team's upcoming matches include games against Turkey, Belgium, and Italy. This marks Zidane's return to coaching the national team, following in the footsteps of other members of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses solely on sports-related information regarding the French national football team's lineup under Zidane's leadership. There is no mention of political issues, policies, or figures, making the political charge negligible. The content remains neutral, providing factual updates on Zd

Why factuality (85): This English article provides detailed information about Zidane's squad, including specific players named and omitted individuals. It accurately reflects the cross-source consensus and includes relevant context about Zidane's appointment and France's recent performance. The list of players is compre

Why objectivity (85): The article maintains an objective tone, presenting facts about the squad selection without expressing personal opinions or biases. It balances historical context with current events, providing a fair representation of the situation.

Le Monde logoLe MondeIndependent🔒CenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 80
Zinedine Zidane opens the scoring and bets on youth for his first list with the French team

Zinedine Zidane, the new head coach of the French national team, has unveiled his first squad selection since taking charge. The list includes five new players, signaling a shift in approach while maintaining a focus on continuity. Zidane emphasized youth development and fresh talent alongside experienced players, aiming to balance innovation with stability. This decision reflects his strategy to build a competitive team for future challenges.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses solely on sports-related content, specifically, the selection of players for the French national football team. There is no mention of political figures, policies, or contentious issues. The framing is neutral, focusing on the coach’s strategy and player selections without any slm

Why factuality: no official source document/info detected

Why objectivity (80): The article presents information neutrally, focusing on facts such as player selections and Zidane's background. There is no overt bias or emotional language, though it highlights Zidane's past successes which may subtly imply expectations.

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories