Zidane France captains: Zinédine Zidane names Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé as his leadership group

Zinédine Zidane, France head coach, has named Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé as his four captains as he begins his tenure in charge of the national team.

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Mbappé will retain the France captaincy under Zidane, having previously been appointed skipper by former head coach Didier Deschamps. The Real Madrid forward has earned 106 international caps.

Dembélé, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has been selected as vice-captain. The forward has made 67 appearances for France.

Rabiot, with 66 caps, and Koundé, with 56, complete the leadership hierarchy, according to reports from L’Équipe cited by multiple outlets. The choices were reportedly influenced largely by seniority within the national team.

Zidane took charge of France after the 2026 World Cup, succeeding Deschamps and signing on to lead the side through the next World Cup cycle.

The French Football Federation confirmed that Zidane’s tenure is scheduled to run through the 2030 World Cup.

The appointment marks a significant new chapter for Zidane, who is taking charge of the national side for the first time after a successful club-management career that included two spells at Real Madrid.

Mbappé’s continued role as captain also provides an element of stability during the transition.

The forward was France’s leading scorer at the 2026 World Cup, finishing the tournament with 10 goals, while Dembélé scored six. France eventually finished fourth after losing 6-4 to England in the third-place play-off.

Zidane’s first France squad includes several established figures from the previous regime, including Mbappé, Dembélé, Rabiot and Koundé, alongside a number of younger players.

The new leadership structure is expected to play an important role as Zidane prepares France for the UEFA Nations League campaign and the qualifying cycle for Euro 2028.

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For Zidane, the decision offers a clear blend of continuity and experience as he begins building his own identity around a squad that remains one of the most closely followed teams in international football.