French team: “We wonder what he’s doing there”, a Blue from Zinédine Zidane kicked out

Stade Rennais striker Estéban Lepaul has faced sharp criticism from French pundits following his initial appearances under new France manager Zinédine Zidane. Lepaul played 170 minutes across three matches against Turkey and Belgium without recording a goal or an assist. Pundit Pierre Ménès questioned the forward's physical readiness for international football, while former France international Emmanuel Petit expressed doubt over whether Lepaul will be recalled to the national team in November.

Zidane introduced several newcomers to the French squad during the autumn international window, including Lucas Da Cunha, Jérémy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, Guillaume Restes, and Leny Yoro. Petit noted on RMC that while Lepaul shows intelligent movement, he currently lacks the speed and physical impact required to succeed at the highest level of international competition.