Zidane names France squad: Pagis earns debut call-up as injuries mount
Paris FC striker Pablo Pagis has received his first senior France call-up to replace the injured Maghnes Akliouche for the upcoming Nations League matches.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Bryan Berlin
France head coach Zinedine Zidane has announced a 23-man squad for the upcoming November Nations League fixtures. The most notable inclusion is a maiden call-up for Paris FC forward Pablo Pagis, who replaces the injured PSG midfielder Maghnes Akliouche.
The squad faces significant depth challenges, with several key players currently unavailable due to injury, including William Saliba, Jules Kounde, Maxence Lacroix, Manu Kone, Ousmane Dembele, and Esteban Lepol.
Pablo has a very interesting and slightly different profile that we want to assess closely. Given the number of injured players in the attacking line, I might also be tempted to use Kylian Mbappe as a central striker — the number nine position he is very familiar with. Zinedine Zidane
Pablo Pagis, son of former French forward Mickael Pagis, is known for his versatility, capable of playing as a striker, on the wing, or as a secondary forward. He has recorded two goals and one assist so far this season.
France currently leads their Nations League group with 10 points after four matches. Zidane's side is set to face Italy away on November 12, followed by a home encounter against Turkey on November 15.