Manchester United defender Leni Yoro has caught the eye of French national team coach Zinedine Zidane, who entrusted the 20-year-old with a starting position in the Nations League match against Belgium.
Originally left out of the squad, Yoro received a late call-up to replace the injured Ibrahima Konate. The French team secured a resounding 4-1 victory, and Zidane was quick to praise the young defender's performance.
He played an excellent match. I’m very happy for him. He handled his role superbly.
In an interview with French broadcaster Canal + Foot, Yoro expressed his joy at making his debut.
Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more. A home match against Belgium with my family present. It was truly a great game. Of course, we hoped to keep a clean sheet, but we won, so we can’t complain. It was amazing.
This confident display for the national team could greatly benefit Yoro at club level. Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is preparing his squad for a crucial fixture against Tottenham.
United's regular defender Lisandro Martinez will return to the club late after participating in Lionel Messi's farewell match. Aiden Heaven is struggling for form, while Matthijs de Ligt has only just started to show encouraging signs in training. Given Yoro's successful debut for France, Carrick has a compelling reason to name the inspired young defender in the starting lineup.
