Lucas Da Cunha's pronunciation makes France vibrate

Lucas Da Cunha celebrated his first call‑up to the France national team on Monday, during the 0‑1 victory over Belgium in the Nations League. The young midfielder quickly made headlines, not only for his performance but also for the way his name is pronounced on social media.

The French are betting on new faces

He is among the new faces selected by manager Zinédine Zidane. The coach has added the player from Rennes and Nice to the midfield options, highlighting the confidence placed in his potential.

Pronunciation of the name: “Da Couna” confirmed

The pronunciation of his name fueled debates on social media throughout the evening. Grégoire Margotton, TF1 commentator, phonetically called him “Da Couna”, which puzzled some internet users accustomed to the Portuguese spelling suggesting “Da Counia”. The player confirmed in an interview on the YouTube channel Carré in 2025 that he indeed pronounces it “Da Couna”.

Zidane exults as France unlocks Belgium thanks to Olise

On the pitch, Lucas Da Cunha delivered a very good performance in midfield. He nearly scored on his international debut, his left‑foot strike being deflected by the opposite post in the 53rd minute.

At the end of the match, manager Zinédine Zidane congratulated him, stating: “I am not at all surprised, they were very, very good.” He added that the players had shown that they could be trusted from their first call‑up.

Cunha surprises France: from Como's captain to victory over Belgium

Transferred to Como in 2023, Lucas Da Cunha initially played as a forward. The arrival of Cesc Fabregas on the Italian bench in the summer of 2024 converted him to midfield, where he became a key component of the game, according to the same coach.