Former French footballer Zinedine Zidane looks on during a promotional day with gaming brand EA Sports at the Z5 sports complex in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, on June 21, 2023. Electronic Arts Inc announced FC FUTURES, a major programme to invest in community football worldwide with the aim of growing the sport for all. The programme will see investment over the next three years in a number of local football projects. This announcement follows the revelation by EA SPORTS of its new identity, new logo and new vision for the future of interactive football: EA SPORTS FC. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Leading figures from the respective first-team squads at La Liga’s two headline clubs have been included in the first panel of players called upon by new France national team head coach Zinedine Zidane.
After at last marking his return to the bench with his beloved France earlier this summer, iconic tactician Zidane is primed to lead his fellow countryman into a quartet of high-profile fixtures over the coming weeks.
Les Bleus have been pencilled in for Nations League meetings with all of Türkiye, Belgium (twice), and Italy.
On Friday, Zidane, in turn, unveiled the squad of players set to be entrusted with getting his stint up and running in positive fashion.
And as alluded to above, stars from both Hansi Flick’s Barcelona and José Mourinho’s Real Madrid featured front and centre.
From the former, Jules Koundé has been given the nod, whilst Los Blancos are represented by all of Ibrahima Konaté, Eduardo Camavinga and Kylian Mbappé.
Check out Zinedine Zidane’s first France squad in full below:
🚨🇫🇷 OFFICIAL: France squad announced, the first list by Zinedine Zidane.
GKs: Maignan, Restes, Risser.
Defenders: Andy Diouf, Jacquet, Pierre Kalulu, Konaté, Koundé, Lacroix, Truffert, Upamecano.
Midfielders: Camavinga, Cherki, Da Cunha, Manu Koné, Rabiot, Zaïre-Emery.… pic.twitter.com/PMsNutPQdT
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 18, 2026
Conor Laird – GSFN