Jeremy Jacquet made his senior France debut on Sunday. He started against Belgium in the Nations League.
The Liverpool defender’s debut came as part of a major reshuffle. Zinedine Zidane made nine changes from the team that beat Turkey 1-0 four days earlier.
Zidane wanted to test his squad depth after that win. Handing Jacquet a full debut away to Belgium was a clear show of faith.
It gave the Liverpool defender a chance to make his mark on the international stage. The timing was also interesting. Alisson had recently praised Jacquet’s contribution during Liverpool’s win over Bournemouth.
Jeremy Jacquet seizes his senior debut opportunity for France
France travelled to Belgium after beating Turkey in midweek. Zidane used the game to give opportunities to players still building their international careers.
Jacquet was one of nine changes to the starting XI. That was a significant level of rotation for a competitive fixture.
France eventually secured a 1-0 win. The result meant the changes worked from a team perspective.
Jacquet also attracted plenty of attention after the final whistle. Much of that came from the reaction to his performance in the French media.
French media praise Jacquet following major squad overhaul
French daily L’Equipe described Jacquet’s outing as a “very promising debut”, a verdict that will please Liverpool supporters who have followed his progress closely. It is the kind of praise that carries weight in France, where reporters are rarely quick to talk up newcomers.
RMC Sport went further with the numbers, awarding Jacquet a solid 7/10 for his performance, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. That mark placed him among the more eye-catching performers in a heavily changed France side.
Not every debutant fared as well. Bradley Barcola, who has been the subject of reported Liverpool transfer interest this year, struggled to make an impact and was replaced by Michael Olise after 77 minutes. RMC Sport rated him just 5/10 for his afternoon.
Rating the ratings: Jacquet’s impressive 7/10 debut breakdown
RMC Sport explained why Barcola’s mark was lower, crediting his pace but questioning his end product:
He created some space on the right flank of the Belgian defence thanks to his speed. He lacked finishing ability. Overall, he was too wasteful to have a significant impact, but remains a valuable asset due to his ability to make runs in behind.
That standard makes Jacquet’s 7/10 look all the more impressive for a first senior cap. Coming into a Nations League away fixture as part of nine changes is not an easy assignment, yet he matched or bettered several more experienced team-mates in the eyes of French media that day.
The game ultimately swung on a substitution rather than a starting selection. Olise, brought on for Barcola in the 77th minute, scored the winner in the 88th to seal a 1-0 victory in Belgium. It showed that Zidane’s changes, even when they did not all click individually, still delivered the result he was after.
Zidane’s squad rotation verdict and what lies ahead
Zidane sounded pleased with the overall display despite the scale of rotation involved.
I’m very satisfied with what the team did, and not just with the ball. Following on from the match in Turkey, on a much better pitch, we were very good all over.
The France boss also praised his side’s discipline against a difficult opponent.
We had some things in place against a good Belgian team that also made us suffer, but we held on, we were courageous, and we weren’t afraid to go into the opposition’s half.
He was frank about a second-half dip, though he framed it as understandable given the scale of change.
That’s what I like, that’s what we want. We perhaps dropped off a little in the second half, where we had some minor difficulties, but that’s understandable. We made nine changes. What’s great is that everyone is involved.
For Liverpool followers, the takeaway from this Jeremy Jacquet France debut is straightforward. A player already earning praise at club level has now shown he can handle the step up to full international football. Zidane’s willingness to trust nine changed faces suggests genuine competition for places is building within the France squad heading into the next round of fixtures.
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