France head coach Zinedine Zidane has named his latest national squad while admitting his side must improve their attacking play ahead of two upcoming fixtures.
Zidane stated that the team clearly need to do better in attack with the players available, although he insisted he is not worried as the squad build chemistry.
The coach explained that his players need to develop natural partnerships and routines on the pitch. Because the squad will have limited training time together ahead of the fixtures, Zidane said the coaching staff will rely heavily on video analysis sessions rather than intensive practice on the grass.
Zidane, who won the World Cup with France as a player in 1998 before guiding Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League trophies as manager, is overseeing his second international window at the helm of the national side.
Marcus Thuram recall and tactical roles
Forward Marcus Thuram has earned a recall to the national setup for what is Zidane's second gathering in charge of the French team. Zidane said the international window offers an opportunity to assess Thuram, noting that the attacker already knows the national team environment well and is fully operational again.
Zidane described Thuram's return as logical and said he will decide how to deploy him across the two games based on what he wants to observe. Thuram, who plays his club football in Italy for Serie A side Inter Milan, has become a regular fixture for his country in recent years.
The manager also addressed questions regarding tactical roles, confirming that the player will feature as a central striker rather than on the left wing. Zidane acknowledged previous comments about playing out wide, but confirmed that the player will lead the line at his preferred position and stated that there would be no problems.
Defensive injuries and Chelsea call-up
Defensive selections were disrupted by fitness issues, with Zidane confirming that defender Jules Kounde is sidelined through injury. The coach added that Akliouche is also dealing with physical trouble and could not be selected for the camp.
With Kounde ruled out, Zidane explained that he turned to the player who was next on his list. The manager noted that the replacement had made six appearances in Chelsea's last 12 matches, adding that he wanted to offer him an opportunity with the national team and felt the call-up was deserved. Chelsea defender Malo Gusto was among the defenders named on the team sheet.
During his press conference, Zidane also reflected on disturbing scenes on a football pitch, saying they gave him goosebumps and left him feeling sad. The French manager said nobody wants to see such incidents during a match, adding that this message stayed on his mind and expressing hope that it would never happen on a football pitch again.
France squad for upcoming matches
The 23-man squad features three goalkeepers, with Mike Maignan selected alongside Guillaume Restes and Robin Risser.
In defence, Gusto is named alongside Andy Diouf, Jeremy Jacquet, Pierre Kalulu, Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate, Adrien Truffert, Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano and Leny Yoro.
The midfield group includes Real Madrid duo Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, alongside Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Adrien Rabiot and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery.
In attack, Thuram is joined by Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, Desire Dioue, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, Bayern Munich attacker Michael Olise and Pablo Pagis, as Zidane prepares his squad for their two upcoming matches.
