Zinedine Zidane faces a series of difficult decisions when he names his next France squad on Friday, with several key players still sidelined by injury ahead of their Nations League Path One meeting with Italy on 12 November 2026.
The France manager encountered similar problems during the September international break, when William Saliba and Aurelien Tchouameni were unavailable. Ibrahima Konate subsequently joined them on the injury list, with Leny Yoro called into the squad as his replacement.
According to Foot Mercato, Saliba is still expected to be out for several weeks, while Maxence Lacroix is recovering from a hamstring tear that could keep him sidelined until the end of the year.
Three places in central defence appear secure, with Dayot Upamecano, Jeremy Jacquet and Konate expected to retain their positions. The remaining spot is likely to be contested by Yoro, Lucas Hernandez and Wesley Fofana.
Yoro has yet to produce the level expected of him at Manchester United, although he impressed during his most recent appearances for France. Hernandez, meanwhile, has made a positive impression in his latest matches for Paris Saint-Germain, while Fofana delivered a notable performance against Manchester United on Saturday.
Doubts over the full-back positions
Jules Kounde’s availability is also uncertain after the Barcelona defender missed matches against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain with an ankle sprain. His absence could give Pierre Kalulu an opportunity to return at right-back.
The second right-sided position remains less clear. Malo Gusto’s involvement with Chelsea has declined, while Jonathan Clauss has shown a marked improvement since joining Nice. However, his profile does not entirely match Zidane’s criteria as the manager prioritises developing the squad for the future.
Benjamin Pavard is also injured. Andy Diouf could have provided another option in the position, but Zidane chose to use him on the left during the first international break.
In midfield, Manu Kone is considered unlikely to recover from his thigh injury in time for the next camp. Zidane is, however, waiting for Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery and Adrien Rabiot to return. Rabiot scored for AC Milan in Saturday’s derby against Inter, which Milan won 3-1.
Eduardo Camavinga and Lucas Da Cunha are expected to keep their places, while Zidane’s decision to use Rayan Cherki in midfield during the previous international break makes major changes in that area less likely.
Attacking options affected
Zidane has more possibilities in attack but may again need to select less familiar names. Esteban Lepaul was included in the previous squad as injuries affected several attacking players.
Ousmane Dembele is unavailable, while Michael Olise’s status is uncertain after he was injured during Saturday’s match against Dortmund. Lepaul is also suffering from an injury to his left ankle.
Those absences could lead to a recall for Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, who has been in strong form recently. Telefoot has identified him as one of the options under consideration to cover the attacking shortages.
Eli Junior Kroupi’s first France call-up may be delayed despite considerable anticipation. The Bournemouth striker had been out for several months with an injury but is gradually regaining fitness and provided an assist during a 22-minute appearance against Leeds this week.
