Zidane hands the armband to Ousmane Dembélé during Mbappé's absence
While Kylian Mbappé has been ruled out for the next three matches, Zinedine Zidane has chosen to place Ousmane Dembélé in the central channel and hand him the captain's armband as early as this Monday in Brussels, a move that could redefine the leadership of the Bleus.
Zidane's tactical choice
Zidane has clearly decided to play Dembélé in the channel, a position he has already occupied for almost two years at Paris Saint‑Germain. The Frenchman notes that the player has said he feels very comfortable in this role, stating, “I felt very good, I have been playing in the channel all season at Paris Saint‑Germain, so it’s not new to me.”
The armband, a symbol of new responsibility
The French number 7 received the armband, a simple piece of fabric loaded with symbolism, during the match in Izmit where he was the French player to touch the most balls in the box (seven) and to provide the most assists (four). He attempted his own shot only once, showing that he is not a traditional striker but a playmaker.
An unprecedented role in the national team
At club level, Dembélé has worn the armband only twice, against Vendée Foot in the Coupe de France and at Lens in the league last season. In the national team, he has never been positioned so clearly at the heart of the game, even though Zidane had already listed him among the three vice‑captains alongside Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé.
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The stakes of Mbappé's absence
Mbappé, injured in the left knee, was forced to take another flight to Madrid, depriving France of the player who has been involved in fifteen of the twenty‑three goals since the World Cup began (eleven goals, four assists). Zidane will therefore have to answer the question of how to approach the next three matches without his main offensive asset.
Dembélé's expectations
Dembélé has indicated that the coach expects the team “to play, and a lot of communication on the pitch.” He therefore faces a trial period of three international matches, with Belgium and Italy as the next opponents.
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Outlook for the autumn
Accompanied by his lieutenants Michael Olise and possibly Désiré Doué, Dembélé has the opportunity to show that he can, even without being the chosen one, become France’s saviour this autumn, as the squad looks for new reference points.