Zidane Names France's Second Squad for Nations League

Zinedine Zidane has named his second squad for France's upcoming Nations League matches against Italy and Turkey. The team will face Italy on 12 November and host Turkey on 15 November, with a draw in Milan sufficient to advance to the quarter-finals.

Injuries have left Zidane with several key players missing, including William Saliba, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, Manu Koné, Ousmane Dembélé, and Esteban Lepaul. Dayot Upamecano’s suspension further complicates the selection process, requiring Zidane to rely on new faces and familiar names.

Among the surprises in the squad is the first senior call-up for forward Pablo Pagis. Aurélien Tchouaméni returns to the midfield, while Malo Gusto steps in to cover for the injured Koundé. Andy Diouf, Jérémy Jacquet, and Lucas Da Cunha also make the list.

Up front, Zidane continues to rely on Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, with Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, and the returning Marcus Thuram as additional options. In midfield, Eduardo Camavinga, Rayan Cherki, Adrien Rabiot, and Warren Zaïre-Emery join Tchouaméni in a 23-man group aiming to secure qualification.

France currently leads Group One with 10 points, while Italy are second on 7 and Belgium on 6. Turkey remain at the bottom of the group with no points. The full squad includes goalkeepers Mike Maignan, Guillaume Restes, and Robin Risser, along with a mix of defenders, midfielders, and forwards.