Zidane Names 50 in First France Squad
Zinedine Zidane has named a preliminary France squad of roughly 50 players, marking his first selection as national-team coach. The list includes established internationals and uncapped players Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, Pablo Pagis of Paris FC and Ismaïlo Ganiou of Lens. Zidane, appointed on 28 July 2026 on a four-year contract, will announce his final squad on 18 September at 18:00. France will then face a demanding UEFA Nations League schedule: Turkey on 25 September, Belgium on 28 September, Italy on 2 October and Belgium again on 5 October. Zidane’s staff includes former Real Madrid assistant David Bettoni and ex-France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who has been appointed goalkeeping coach. The France squad announcement signals a possible transition under Zidane, with new players competing for places ahead of the 2030 World Cup cycle.
Neutral
This is a football-management development with no direct connection to cryptocurrencies, blockchain projects or digital-asset markets. It is therefore unlikely to affect crypto prices, trading volume or market stability in the short term. Traders may see brief attention in sports-related fan-token markets if France or Zidane-linked assets exist, but the article does not identify any such token or provide material financial information. Similar national-team appointments and squad announcements have generally produced limited, event-driven moves in fan tokens rather than broad market trends. The longer-term crypto impact should remain negligible unless the news is later tied to sponsorships, token launches or commercial partnerships.