Zidane highlights defense weakness

Zinedine Zidane, newly appointed as the coach of the French national team, has raised concerns about the lack of high-quality players in the lateral defensive positions. He has directed the National Technical Directorate (DTN) to focus on developing new talent for these roles, particularly through the youth teams.

Focus on offensive wingers

Zidane is seeking wingers who can contribute offensively, press high up the field, and maintain strong defensive discipline. During the first team gathering, several players were tested for these roles, including Adrien Truffert, Andy Diouf, and Pierre Kalulu, but the results were limited.

Koundé no longer a certainty

The right-back position is still open, with Jules Koundé no longer seen as the clear starter as he was under Didier Deschamps. Christophe Dugarry suggests that the solution might come from the midfield, pointing to Warren Zaïre-Emery as a potential candidate.

Zaïre-Emery praised for versatility

Christophe Dugarry praised Warren Zaïre-Emery, noting his exceptional performance and suggesting he could create competition in the right-back position. Dugarry compared Zaïre-Emery to Achraf Hakimi, stating that having a similar profile in the French team would be beneficial.

Zidane previously considered Zaïre-Emery

Warren Zaïre-Emery was called up by Zidane in September but had to withdraw. Despite this, Zidane had not shown a preference for using Zaïre-Emery in a defensive role, focusing instead on his midfield contributions.