Zinedine Zidane is set to make two attacking recalls for his second France squad list this November, with Marcus Thuram and Florian Thauvin in line for returns. These selections aim to cover for the absences of Ousmane Dembélé and William Saliba, as well as other unavailable players like the injured Michael Olise.
Saber Desfarges confirmed the moves. «Tchouaméni est attendu. Il est performant avec le Real Madrid et titulaire indiscutable. Il va découvrir la méthode Zidane en novembre. Konaté sera là aussi.», he said.
Absences and returns
The manager's list is impacted by an injury wave. Beyond Dembélé and Saliba, Maxence Lacroix, Esteban Lepaul and Manu Koné are also out. Olise's absence, after his brace against Belgium on 5 October, is a particular blow. In response, Zidane is turning to in-form club performers. Thuram, impressing at Inter Milan, offers valuable versatility to play centrally or wide. Thauvin, since his move to Lens in summer 2025, is pushing for a place with his dribbling and left foot on the right flank.
The sporting context
France enters this camp leading their Nations League group with 10 points. Their last match was a 4-1 win over Belgium, extending their recent run to three wins and a draw. This four-match unbeaten streak began with a 1-0 win in Turkey on 25 September, followed by an identical victory in Belgium three days later. They travel to face Italy on Thursday 12 November, a decisive clash for qualification. The season's top scorer, Kylian Mbappé with 10 goals in 8 appearances, will be a key asset for the trip.
Zidane, whose first list marked a break from the Deschamps era, wants to rely on reliable and confident players. The return of Aurélien Tchouaméni, a regular starter at Real Madrid, and Warren Zaïre-Emery will also bolster the midfield. The final squad will be confirmed in the coming days, shortly before the trip to Rome.
Background and full detail: Sports.fr
