Seven Bleus in Serie A, echoing 1998 as Zinédine Zidane picks first squad

In partnership with

OffsAIde

·1 October 2026

Seven of the 23 France call-ups for this camp are based in Serie A, prompting debate over coincidence, a Zinédine Zidane effect, or a longer shift.

According to L'Équipe, the explanation likely lies in a blend of all three.

OneFootball Videos

There is a neat echo with 1998, and with the first group assembled by head coach Zinédine Zidane, each featuring the same number of Serie A players.

The discussion also speaks to why so many Bleus now have strong Italian links at club level.

For now, it appears less a single cause than a confluence, probably a little of each factor.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”