French national team coach Zidane announced his first squad list since taking office at a press conference and answered questions from assembled media. This article covers the first part of the press conference.

Hello Zinedine, I'd like to learn more about this first squad list – a concrete manifestation of your dream role as national team coach. What is your current mindset and mental state following the announcement of this list? Did the thought process behind compiling this list take more time, the same amount of time, or less time than you expected?

Yes, it certainly required careful consideration, because some players are returning to training after the World Cup, and there are factors like injuries and playing time to take into account. All of this must be considered. But to be honest, this is my first selection and first training camp, and my vision is very clear to me. Of course, there may be one or two players I deliberately didn't select for the team – we can discuss those later – mainly due to lack of playing time or minor injuries. But since my appointment on July 28th, it has genuinely been a period of reflection and thorough preparation.

Hello,we initially thought we might see an "expanded list," but that doesn't appear to be the case.There are many new faces on the list.Was it also very important for you to break with previous logic and create a fresh, different atmosphere?

The so-called "expanded list" refers to the coaching staff and support team, which have indeed been expanded.As for the players, the squad list itself has not been expanded. No, I wanted to select only these 20 outfield players and 3 goalkeepers.We have four matches to play.I could have selected 22 or 23outfield players,but I decided to select only 20outfield players,and I think that's actually quite good.

Hello Zinedine,we suspect that you probably already have a fairly clear and specific vision of the overall tactical system and game plan you want to establish and implement with the team. Could you elaborate on that? Furthermore, will you have specific and detailed discussions with the attacking players, particularly regarding tactical organization and coordination details in attack – simply put, to gain a deeper understanding of the players' genuine personal experiences and feelings?

I will indeed communicate and interact with every player under my command.What's special about this training camp is that we have almost 15 days tolive and traintogether, and during this period we have four official matches to play. We're essentially playing a match every three days, which means every player in the squad will be involved and will have their chance to perform. In my view, that's the most important and fundamental point.

As for my understanding and insights into football and my specific playing philosophy, everyone will see that firsthand in the upcoming matches. In any case, one thing is 100% certain, as I've expressed in my previous introductory press conferences: I am personally always deeply driven and inspired by "the game and playing itself" – by the passion, joy, and competition of real football.

Of course, we will always maintain tactical balance across the entire team. Because everyone knows that "offensive and defensive balance" is a popular term these days and is frequently mentioned, but in any case, as a team you must truly possess and maintain this overall balance.

But on the other hand, I do feel a strong desire. I want to see this team play exciting, flowing, spectacular football. For me, it's the game of football itself that truly motivates and moves me, and I'm firmly convinced that with our current squad we have absolutely excellent players who are capable of that.

Hello,in my view, one of the core problems and most important team-building issues the national team urgently needs to address is the full-back position. In the squad list you announced this evening, you made very strong and clear selection decisions for these positions, particularly by selecting both Andy Diouf and Adrien Truffert.First, I'd like to ask what prompted your decision to name both of them? Second, given the obvious lack of sufficient depth, squad width, and technical quality at this specific position, is this an area that concerns you at the team-building level?

When we talk about"concerns"or the current situation at this position, I think that's actually been the case for some time. There has always been a relative lack of certain player types here. This situation has existed for a while, even though we've had excellent players in this position in the past.

But what I really want to express is that the selection of Andy and Truffert is, yes, clearly a very specific, strong, and extremely important selection decision. They are currently fully capable of playing at this position at the highest competitive level and on the international stage for the French national team. So yes, at the moment this is undoubtedly a very suitable and excellent choice.As for the other flank, the same principle applies. Jules Koundé has long been an extremely important member of this team, but at the same time new players are coming in, so we will treat, adapt, and integrate them in the same way.

Übersetzt von KI.

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