Zinedine Zidane has identified Ousmane Dembélé as one of the key leaders in the France dressing room, even without the official captain’s armband. With Kylian Mbappé ruled out of the remainder of the international break because of a left-knee problem, Dembélé has suddenly found himself at the centre of France’s attack and leadership structure.
For football fans in Cambodia following the new era of Les Bleus, Zidane’s comments offer an intriguing glimpse into how the legendary midfielder intends to build his national team. Rather than simply replacing Mbappé with another star, the new France boss appears focused on developing a wider leadership group.
Zidane Calls Dembélé a Natural Leader
Zidane’s message was clear ahead of France’s UEFA Nations League clash with Belgium in Brussels.
The France coach described Dembélé as “already a leader”, stressing that the Paris Saint-Germain forward performs an important leadership role even when he is not officially wearing the captain’s armband.
According to the LiveScore report, Zidane highlighted Dembélé’s personality, experience and willingness to support his teammates. The coach believes those qualities can be valuable as France adjusts to Mbappé’s absence.
That description is significant because leadership in international football is not always about who wears the armband.
A player can influence a team through communication, work rate, experience and performances on the pitch. Zidane appears to believe Dembélé possesses those qualities naturally.
Mbappé’s Absence Creates a New Opportunity
Kylian Mbappé remains one of the central figures of French football, but his latest injury has forced Zidane to make adjustments.
Mbappé scored in France’s opening Nations League victory against Turkey but was subsequently forced off with a left-knee problem. He was then ruled out for the remainder of the international window.
The situation creates an immediate opportunity for Dembélé.
Against Turkey, Zidane deployed Dembélé through the centre of the attack rather than simply using him in his more familiar wide role. The experiment was part of a broader tactical reshaping of France’s forward line.
Dembélé’s performance was not simply about scoring goals. His pressing, movement and energy were important aspects of the system Zidane was trying to establish.
The coach praised exactly those characteristics, saying Dembélé showed impressive commitment, energy and dedication and could handle the demands of a full 90-minute performance.
For Dembélé, that represents a different challenge from being one of France’s attacking stars.
He is now being asked to influence the team around him.
A Different Type of Captain
The phrase “captain without an armband” is particularly relevant to Dembélé because his leadership style is not necessarily based on being the loudest player in the dressing room.
That point was reinforced by Eduardo Camavinga, who described Dembélé as more of a technical leader who does not necessarily need to speak constantly but pushes his teammates strongly on the pitch.
That could become an important part of Zidane’s France team.
The former World Cup-winning midfielder understands the importance of having leaders in different areas of the pitch. A team does not necessarily need one player to carry every leadership responsibility.
Dembélé can provide attacking leadership, while experienced players elsewhere in the squad can contribute through organisation, communication and tactical discipline.
For Cambodia’s football audience, this is one of the most interesting elements of Zidane’s early France project: the manager appears to be building a leadership group rather than relying entirely on one superstar.
Dembélé’s Experience Now Matters More
Dembélé is no longer simply the unpredictable young winger who first emerged onto the international scene.
He now has years of experience at the highest level, including major club football and international tournaments.
Zidane specifically pointed to his experience and ability to support teammates. That experience could become increasingly important as younger attacking players such as Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola are given greater opportunities.
Doué and Barcola Offer Different Options
With Mbappé unavailable, Zidane has several possibilities in attack.
The France coach praised both Doué and Barcola for their dynamism and ability to make a difference from wide positions. That suggests France could maintain an aggressive attacking approach even without its regular captain.
Rather than asking one player to reproduce everything Mbappé provides, Zidane may instead distribute those responsibilities across several forwards.
That could make Dembélé’s role even more important.
He can provide experience while younger players bring pace, creativity and directness.
Zidane Also Has High Hopes for Rayan Cherki
Another player attracting Zidane’s attention is Rayan Cherki.
The France coach explained that he prefers Cherki in midfield, where his ability to receive the ball between the lines and play forward could give France another creative dimension.
Cherki’s versatility could become useful as Zidane continues to experiment with his preferred tactical structure.
The combination of Dembélé, Cherki, Doué and Barcola gives Zidane several technical options as he attempts to establish his attacking philosophy.
Belgium Provides a Serious Leadership Test
The timing of Dembélé’s expanded role could hardly be more demanding.
France’s next opponent is Belgium, with Zidane warning that the Red Devils possess considerable individual quality and represent a difficult test.
The match in Brussels is particularly important because it comes during the early stages of Zidane’s tenure. After opening his Nations League campaign with an away victory against Turkey, France are looking to maintain momentum at the top end of Group One.
For Dembélé, the Belgium fixture is therefore more than another international match.
It is an opportunity to demonstrate that his influence extends beyond his individual attacking numbers.
Can Dembélé Become One of France’s Main Leaders?
Zidane has already made his position clear: Dembélé does not need an armband to act like a captain.
That does not necessarily mean he will permanently replace Mbappé as France captain. Instead, it suggests Zidane sees leadership as something that can be shared across the squad.
Dembélé’s next challenge is to turn that trust into consistent performances.
His responsibilities could include leading the press, helping younger attackers, maintaining attacking intensity and setting the standard through his work rate.
Zidane’s France Era Is Taking Shape
Zidane’s appointment has naturally created enormous expectations in France. As a legendary player and former Real Madrid coach, he arrives with a reputation that makes every tactical decision closely watched.
His early comments about Dembélé reveal one important part of his approach: leadership will not be restricted to the player wearing the armband.
For Cambodian football fans, the France-Belgium clash offers an interesting chance to watch that philosophy develop in a competitive environment.
With Mbappé absent, Dembélé has a chance to demonstrate why Zidane considers him a natural leader.
The armband may belong to one player, but Zidane clearly believes leadership can come from several places.
And for Dembélé, this could be the beginning of an important new chapter with the France national team.
