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The France expert has delivered a blunt verdict on Sunderland star Enzo Le Fée’s international hopes
French football expert Pierre-Etienne Minonzio of L’Équipe believes Sunderland midfielder Enzo Le Fée faces an uphill battle to break into France’s star-studded national team setup – despite his exceptional technical ability and impact in the Premier League.
Le Fée, 25, joined Sunderland from Roma earlier this year for £19million after an initial loan spell that helped the Black Cats seal promotion back to the top flight. The former Rennes and Lorient midfielder has quickly become a fan favourite at the Stadium of Light under Régis Le Bris, with his composed passing and creative intelligence earning rave reviews on Wearside.
But speaking exclusively to The Echo, Minonzio explained that while Le Fée’s quality is unquestionable, the level of competition in France’s midfield makes a senior call-up highly unlikely in the near future. “So to be clear on the specific case of Enzo Le Fée – he is a midfielder,” Minonzio said.
“If you want to play number six in the French national team, you have Camavinga, you have Tchouaméni you have Kone, who plays in Italy, you have Khephren Thuram, you have Rabiot, and Kamara, you know, the Aston Villa player. For example, Kamara has proven a lot more than Le Fée, and Kamara is not often called into the French national team. So it's not easy at all.”
Le Fée, who has represented France at under-20, under-21 and Olympic level, has shown versatility at Sunderland – operating both as a deep-lying playmaker and further forward as a number ten. However, Minonzio believes the attacking positions are just as crowded with elite talent.
“If you think about him like a number 10, which he can play, you have Michael Olise, who is unbelievably good in the French national team,” he continued. “You have Dembélé, who can play at this position, and you have Rayan Cherki.
He added: “So, yes, there is no way, according to me, that he could be called into the French national team despite his talent. There is no question about that – he’s gifted, he’s so good, but it’s too far for the French national team, I think.”
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Le Fée’s arrival has nonetheless been a major success story for Sunderland. Since completing his permanent move in the summer, the Lorient-born midfielder, often playing from the left wing, has become a cornerstone of Le Bris’ possession-based system – his tactical intelligence and work rate helping to lift the club to mid-table stability in their first Premier League season since promotion.
A product of Lorient’s academy, Le Fée made 135 senior appearances for his boyhood club before spells at Rennes and Roma. His rise through Ligue 1 and Serie A before landing in England underscores both his talent and adaptability – qualities that have quickly made him one of Sunderland’s most influential players.
While France may currently boast one of the deepest pools of midfield talent in world football, Le Fée’s form on Wearside continues to turn heads – and if his trajectory under Le Bris continues, the gap between Sunderland and the French national team may not feel quite so vast for long.
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