Estéban Lepaul received his first call-up to the France national team on Friday. New manager Zinedine Zidane unveiled his first squad, which includes five new players.
The 26-year-old Stade Rennais forward was the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season. Zidane explained his selection. "It's a different profile from what we usually see," he said. "I like this kind of profile in tight spaces. It will be interesting when we play against teams that sit back."
Rennes shared a video showing Lepaul with his teammates at the moment of the announcement. Goalkeeper Brice Samba, 32, who was not selected by Zidane, jumped into his arms to congratulate him. The scene highlights the unity of a group that includes seven players developed at Rennes' academy. They are Eduardo Camavinga, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Truffert, Jérémy Jacquet, Andy Diouf and Lucas Da Cunha.
Zidane's first squad comes as France sits top of their World Cup qualifying group with nine points from three games. However, Les Bleus have lost their last two friendly matches, according to our stats. Games against Italy and two against Belgium will follow. The objective for the Rennes man is clear: to perform well enough to return to Clairefontaine for the next international break. The full squad list is available on our squad page.
Background and full detail: RMC Sport Football
