Zidane bets on Doué to offset the absence of Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé's absence forces manager Didier Zidane to reinvent the attack of the Bleus, while the press questions the relevance of his choice. Désiré Doué, the PSG player, who already came to replace Mbappé on the left wing against Turkey, could now take on the role of false number 9.

Zidane tests Doué in central position

During the latest training session at the King‑Baudouin Stadium, Zidane placed Doué in the central position, a role he has already occupied at club level. His ability to provoke, drop deep and make penetrating runs makes him versatile and impresses the staff.

L’Équipe warns, believing that this deployment could be nothing more than a smoke screen. In this context, the staff is betting on Doué's versatility. The newspaper predicts that Doué will start on the right side, supplanting Michael Olise, which would open the door for Estéban Lepaul for his first start, while Ousmane Dembélé would remain on the bench.

Zidane scares off the spotlights: no catwalk, no hairdresser for Les Bleus

The verdict will be decided tonight at kickoff, but it is clear that Zidane is using this gathering to test, adjust and give playing time to a variety of profiles, in order to build a less predictable attack in the captain's absence.