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Zinédine Zidane confirms end of N’Golo Kanté’s France international career

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 20, 2026, 8:50 AM

Last updated Sep 20, 2026

Zinédine Zidane confirms end of N’Golo Kanté’s France international career

Summary

Zinédine Zidane has announced that N’Golo Kanté's time as a France international is over. The announcement came during the squad reveal following Zidane's appointment as manager, succeeding Didier Deschamps. Kanté, who has 69 caps for Les Bleus, participated in the last FIFA World Cup but is not expected to return to the national team. Zidane emphasized his desire to focus on younger players moving forward.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Kanté's international career spanned 69 appearances for France.
•Zidane replaced Didier Deschamps as France manager.
•The squad announcement reflects a departure from the previous regime.
•Zidane aims to incorporate younger talent into the national team.
•Karim Benzema will also not return to international play.

Latest Updates

8:50 AMYahoo Sports — Zinédine Zidane calls time on N’Golo Kanté’s France career

What they're saying

"
Zinédine Zidane, in evoking the subject of a potential return for Karim Benzema (38), announced that N’Golo Kanté’s (35) time as a France international is over. Kanté was involved in the most r...
— Yahoo Sports

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