RMC Sport has drawn a striking comparison for Jérémy Jacquet, describing the new France call-up as combining the class of Laurent Blanc with the aggression of Marcel Desailly. In its headline, the outlet frames the defender as a potential future leader — a "patron" — for Les Bleus.
The comparison arrives during a France gathering at Clairefontaine, the national training centre, where the squad has reported for its current camp. The French Football Federation confirmed the return of the players to the site, and Le Figaro reported that Zinedine Zidane took charge of his first public training session with the team, an occasion it said drew heavy interest around the coach, chants for Fabien Barthez and an intensity it described as very high. Le Figaro also reported that Kylian Mbappé was ill.
Jacquet's pathway reflects a productive period for his club. L'Équipe reported that seven players from Rennes' youth academy were called up by France, a figure the outlet said confirms the Breton club's standing as one of Europe's leading talent nurseries. That context helps explain why a relatively new face can arrive in the senior set-up with such attention attached.
For now, the Blanc and Desailly parallel is a projection from RMC Sport rather than an established verdict. What to watch next is whether Jacquet's performances in this camp and beyond begin to justify it.
