Quick turn and dead, we’re off again. Gérald Baticle, coach of the France Espoirs team, predicted on Tuesday that Warren Zaire-Emery, recalled by Didier Deschamps after a stint with the Bleuets in October, was always thinking about “regaining his place as soon as possible” with the A.
“He (is) in the goal he was looking for: to come and have fun, bring it to his team, to his generation, and then regain his place as soon as possible,” Baticle detailed of the PSG midfielder, who dropped down to the bottom tier during the last international window after having seven selections in the big world.
Back to the front lines with Paris
In October, Zaire-Emery played with the Bleuets in two Euro Espoirs 2027 qualifiers before being called up again on Thursday by Didier Deschamps for the France A team’s two games, against Ukraine on Thursday at the Parc des Princes and in Azerbaijan on Sunday, a 2026 World Cup qualifier.
“We chose him only because he performed well and is one of the best players in his category,” emphasized Baticle, who entrusted him with the captain’s armband against the Faroe Islands (6-0 win) and Estonia (6-1 win).
“He performed well with us, he had fun. And if that gives him confidence, energy, although I think he already has it (…), I don’t know if it’s necessary, but it’s interesting,” concluded the 56-year-old technician.
After a difficult start to the season, following a 2024-2025 season that fell short of expectations, Zaire-Emery fully relaunched this autumn in a Paris shirt, going so far as to start the capital club’s last twelve games, including Champions League surprises at Barcelona (1-2) and against Bayern Munich (1-2).
“He takes what needs to be taken”
A possible return to the top level has its roots in a brief stint with Espoirs. “He is not passionate, he remains calm with his personality, his strengths. He blends in with a group that lives well, which has its own generational code,” said Baticle.
“He brings what he has to bring, takes what needs to be taken. We support him as we should support him. It is our role to prepare the players, give them international experience, even if only among Espoir, to become stronger and seek experience at the top. »
Espoir will play a match in Switzerland on Friday, then another against the Faroe Islands on Monday in Grenoble as part of the Euro 2027 qualifiers in Albania and Serbia, the qualifying tournament for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
