France: Saël Kumbedi, German second-division player, called up by Zidane

Kumbedi, a 21-year-old right-back at Wolfsburg in Germany's second division, called up by Zidane to replace injured Kalulu for France's November fixtures.

Zinédine Zidane has called up Saël Kumbedi to the France squad for November's international break, following Pierre Kalulu's withdrawal due to a left hamstring injury. The 21-year-old right-back currently plays for Wolfsburg in Germany's second division (Regionalliga), marking his first senior call-up for the national team after nine appearances for the U21s.

Kumbedi joined Wolfsburg on a permanent deal in January for €6 million after an initial loan spell. He has become a regular starter under manager Tobias Strobl despite a recent muscle injury that sidelined him for three matches. The defender previously spent time at Lyon, where he made 62 appearances including 23 in Ligue 1 during the 2022–23 season after joining from Le Havre in 2022.

The call-up highlights a shortage of depth at right-back in French football, with Zidane opting for a young prospect over more experienced options like Jonathan Clauss. Kumbedi will join the squad for friendlies against Italy (Friday, 18:30 in Brest) and England (Monday, 20:30 in Bristol).