Kylian Mbappe Named Captain of France by Zidane

Zinedine Zidane did not waste his first big decision. On Friday, the new France coach confirmed what many had expected but few would dare to question: Kylian Mbappe will captain Les Bleus.

The Real Madrid forward, already the undisputed leader of this generation, keeps the armband after wearing it at the World Cup and finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals. France fell in the semi-finals to eventual champions Spain, but Mbappe’s authority on and off the pitch never really looked in doubt. Zidane has simply made it official.

Zidane steps out of Deschamps’ shadow

This is the first concrete act of the Zidane era, following the end of Didier Deschamps’ 14-year reign. Deschamps leaves behind a World Cup title in 2018, a runner-up finish in 2022, and a culture of relentless competitiveness. Replacing that is no small task.

Zidane knows the weight of the shirt and the job. He shared a dressing room with Deschamps in France’s golden age, lifting the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 together. Now, at 54 and on a four-year contract, he returns to the national team not as the elegant No. 10 but as the man responsible for reshaping the next cycle.

His competitive debut comes in the UEFA Nations League, starting with a trip to Turkey next Friday. Belgium await in Brussels on September 28. Then comes the emotional moment: a first home game in charge at the Stade de France against Italy on October 2, followed by another clash with Belgium three days later. Zidane’s France will be judged quickly.

A new captain, a refreshed squad

The headline is Mbappe’s captaincy. The story runs deeper in the squad list.

Zidane has not been afraid to turn the page. Several new faces arrive, some big names step aside, and the message is unmistakable: reputation alone will not guarantee a place.

• Jeremy Jacquet, the 21-year-old centre-back, is rewarded for his strong start at Liverpool after a summer move to the Premier League.
• Esteban Lepaul, last season’s top scorer in Ligue 1 with Rennes, earns a first call-up and brings a pure finisher’s profile that France have often craved in tight games.
• Lucas Da Cunha, quietly building his game in Serie A with Como, finds a place in midfield.
• Inter’s versatile Andy Diouf, capable of operating in midfield or at wing-back, also joins the group.
• In goal, Toulouse’s Guillaume Restes gets the nod and steps into a position that has long been fiercely contested.

The absentees are just as telling. Aurelien Tchouameni, a key figure at Real Madrid, misses out, as does Inter forward Marcus Thuram. William Saliba, the Arsenal defender, is sidelined through injury. Zidane is clearly willing to reset hierarchies, even among players who featured at the World Cup.

The Zidane blueprint begins

Look closer at the list and a pattern emerges. Technical quality in midfield with Eduardo Camavinga, Warren Zaire-Emery and Adrien Rabiot. Ball-playing defenders like Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate. Wide threats in Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Michael Olise. And at the centre of it all, Mbappe, now captain, now symbol.

France’s goalkeepers are Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse). The defenders: Andy Diouf (Inter Milan), Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).

In midfield, Zidane calls on Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Lucas Da Cunha (Como), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan) and Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain). Up front, Bradley Barcola (Liverpool), Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue (both Paris Saint-Germain), Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) carry the attacking load.

It is a squad that blends star power with opportunity, experience with audition. Zidane has not torn everything up, but he has clearly started to write his own version of Les Bleus.

The Nations League will offer the first answers. With Mbappe wearing the armband and a refreshed cast around him, the real question is no longer about the past Deschamps built, but how quickly Zidane’s France can become feared again.