Zinedine Zidane has made his statement. His first France squad is out, and it tells you more about his philosophy than any pre-tournament press conference ever could — Camavinga is back, the Hernández brothers are nowhere, and a wave of unfamiliar names are in.
Eduardo Camavinga's return is the headline. He was a last-minute omission from the World Cup squad, a snub that still stings given how much France missed midfield dynamism in that tournament. He hasn't played heavily for Real Madrid early this season, but Zidane clearly rates his flexibility across multiple midfield roles above raw minutes. That's a coach making a football decision, not a form table one.
New faces with something to prove
The fresh inclusions are genuinely interesting. Jérémy Jacquet has been sharp for Liverpool at center back, and getting called into the French setup this early signals Zidane is watching the Premier League closely. Andy Diouf, Como's Da Cunha, Rennes striker Lepaul and goalkeeper Guillaume Restes all get their chance — a group that wouldn't have looked likely under the previous regime.
It's a squad that carries real uncertainty into the Nations League, which matters for anyone pricing France in the outright markets. New manager, new names, untested combinations — France's early group games against Turkey and Belgium will tell us quickly whether this is a project with legs or one that needs serious adjustment.
Who Zidane left out
The omissions are just as telling. Neither Hernández brother features, leaving France's left flank entirely in flux. Aurélien Tchouaméni stays in Madrid while he recovers from injury — fair enough. But N'Golo Kanté, Lucas Digne and Marcus Thuram being absent without injury excuses? That's Zidane drawing a line.
France open their Nations League campaign on September 25 against Turkey in Kocaeli, then face Belgium in Brussels three days later. Two home games — Italy and Belgium — follow in October, with Italy away and Turkey at home closing the group in November.
Zidane's era starts in Turkey. A debutant squad, a road game, and no warm-up. That's one way to find out who you actually have.
