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Rennes' academy is now the backbone of Zidane's France squad

A third of the players called up for France's Nations League games against Italy and Turkey trained at Stade Rennais, the Breton club's youth academy.

1 min read
Young footballers training on a pitch at a youth academy in Brittany, western France.
Image: Le Monde

Zinédine Zidane has been France coach since July, when he took over from Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup. Now his squad is putting an unexpected place in the spotlight: the youth academy of Stade Rennais, the club based in Rennes, in Brittany.

Former Rennes academy players make up a third of the group called up for France's next two Nations League matches, against Italy and Turkey. That is a big share for a single training centre.

Not everything is going to plan, though. Captain Kylian Mbappé will miss the game against Italy in Milan because of a hamstring problem, Zidane confirmed. France can qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals as early as that match.

With Zidane in charge, the Breton academy has gone from a respected name to a talking point. For Les Bleus, it now looks like a new nursery of talent, and the next two games will show how much it matters.

#zinedine zidane#stade rennais#france national team#nations league#youth academy
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Rennes academy feeds France national team · 2 updates

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  1. Zinédine Zidane named France national team head coach
  2. Rennes' academy is now the backbone of Zidane's France squad

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