Franco-Burkinabè defender Ismaëlo Ganiou has been tipped for a potential call-up to the France senior national team after impressing with RC Lens in Ligue 1.
Former France international Adil Rami believes the 21-year-old has the qualities to make the step up, praising his versatility, confidence and defensive ability as he continues to establish himself in the French top flight.
Ganiou has made four Ligue 1 appearances and scored once this season, with his performances suggesting he is taking another step forward in his development.
Rami, speaking to Ligue 1+, compared the defender’s early progress to that of France international Jules Koundé and predicted that Ganiou could soon attract the attention of the senior national team selectors.
“You could say he’s a Swiss Army knife. He reminds me a little bit of Koundé in his early days in Ligue 1 ,” the former defender told Ligue 1+.
The former France international highlighted Ganiou’s ability to operate in different defensive positions, describing him as a player who combines technical qualities with determination.
“He is capable of playing on the wing or in the center. He is a defender full of confidence with very good reading of the game, good distribution and a lot of grit.”
However, Rami believes there are areas in which the young defender can still improve, particularly his decision-making when in possession.
“Sometimes he holds onto the ball a little too long, he takes a little too long, he could play more quickly. But otherwise, he has always been good in his duels ,” he observes.
Despite those reservations, Rami believes Ganiou’s progress compared with last season has been noticeable, with the Lens defender increasingly attracting attention through his performances.
“Compared to last season, you can feel he’s gaining momentum. He’s really a defender who’s starting to make a name for himself more and more ,” the pundit points out, before making a prediction: “We might even see him in the French national team in a few months.”
Born in France to a family of Burkinabè descent, Ganiou holds dual French-Burkinabè citizenship and has already represented both countries at international level.
In May 2025, he received a call-up to the Burkina Faso senior national team for a series of friendly matches. He subsequently made his international debut in a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe on 6 June 2025.
His international career later took another direction when he was called up to the France Under-21 squad by Gérald Baticle in March 2026 for matches against Luxembourg and Iceland.
That selection marked another milestone in his development and placed him within France’s youth international set-up as he continues to progress at club level.
Ganiou’s performances have also generated excitement among observers who regard him as one of the most promising defenders to emerge from Lens’ youth academy in recent years.
