New France coach Zinedine Zidane has confirmed Kylian Mbappé will remain captain of the national team after naming his first squad since replacing Didier Deschamps.
Zidane made the announcement on Friday as he unveiled a 23-man squad for France’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. Mbappé, who has worn the captain’s armband since 2023, remains the team’s leader under the new coach.
The squad features several new faces, including Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet, Rennes forward Estéban Lepaul, Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, Inter Milan’s Andy Diouf, and Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes. Eduardo Camavinga also returns after missing the 2026 World Cup.
However, Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram were left out, while Arsenal defender William Saliba is unavailable through injury.
Zidane, who was appointed in July after Deschamps’ 14-year tenure, will take charge of France for the first time when they visit Türkiye on September 25. France will then face Belgium in Brussels on September 28 before hosting Italy on October 2 and Belgium again on October 5.
The new coach has a four-year mandate and will begin his tenure with a mix of established stars and emerging players as France starts a new cycle.
