Zidane names his second France squad: Mbappé back, Dembélé out

Friday evening is squad time for the French national team. Zinédine Zidane announces his second list as Bleus coach at 6 pm, and two names are already dominating the chatter.

The big one is Kylian Mbappé, who is expected to return. The other is Ousmane Dembélé, who is not expected to be in the group.

The squad is for two matches next week, against Italy and Turkey. That makes it a busy window for the team, and a good test of how Zidane wants to build his group.

The other talking point is up front. With Dembélé missing, there is a spot in attack to be filled, and it is the one fans will be watching most closely.

If you need a reminder of how we got here: Didier Deschamps announced in February 2025 that he would step down after the 2026 World Cup, which opened the door for his successor.

The full list lands this evening. Then comes the fun part: arguing about who should have been in it.