Lepaul, Udol, Le Fée among hopefuls as Zinédine Zidane prepares first France squad | OneFootball

Zinédine Zidane will unveil his first France squad on Friday at 18:00 at the French Football Federation headquarters for the Nations League. According to Le Progres, several uncapped players across the pitch could come into contention.

In goal, major changes look unlikely. Mike Maignan, Robin Risser and Brice Samba were the trio at the last World Cup, while Jean Butez, 31, is pushing after strong form for Côme, who finished fourth in Serie A last season and have started well in the league and Champions League. Guillaume Restes has 19 Under-21 caps and has been watched by new goalkeeper coach Fabien Barthez, though a thigh problem kept the Toulouse keeper out of the last match.

Defensively, Lens provide candidates. Left wing-back Matthieu Udol has posted seven Ligue 1 assists in each of the past two seasons, at Metz then Lens, and is a credible option on the left, with Lucas Digne playing little at PSG and Theo Hernandez in Saudi Arabia not matching his Milan output. Ismaëlo Ganiou, 21, has grown in Lens’s back three, impressing in anticipation and aerial duels, and has extended his deal to 2030.

Jeremy Jacquet has quickly settled at Liverpool and excelled in the 0-0 draw with Fulham, notably thwarting Gonçalo Garcia. In midfield, Enzo Le Fée, 26, a mainstay for Régis Le Bris at Sunderland, has been preselected, having featured at the 2021 Olympics and earned 15 Under-21 caps. Lucas Da Cunha is progressing at Côme under Cesc Fabregas, while Andy Diouf has been operating as Inter’s right wing-back and has benefited from Denzel Dumfries’s move to Real Madrid to secure a starting spot.

Up front, Estéban Lepaul stands out. The Rennes striker has three goals in four Ligue 1 matches, offers an old-fashioned number nine profile, and has flourished since arriving in 2025 after spells with Lyon, Epinal, Orléans and Angers, finishing last season with 21 league goals. Pablo Pagis, now at Paris FC from Lorient, has become increasingly decisive, while Éli Junior Kroupi is sidelined by a foot injury.

Source: Le Progres

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