France's New Striker: "I Went to the Wrong Floor Out of Excitement"

Rennes striker Esteban Léopold is one of the new faces in the French national team, called up by new head coach Zinedine Zidane. The 26-year-old center-forward has already netted three goals this season, following an impressive 21-goal haul last campaign.

"I was at a training camp with my teammates in Slovenia when I found out I'd been called up to the national team; we celebrated," Léopold began. "What struck me when I arrived at the training base was the rooster emblem with two stars. When I got to Clairefontaine (the national training center), I even went to the wrong floor out of sheer excitement."

"I was welcomed by coach Barthez, as well as by the Lyon players I've played with – Pierre Kalulu, Bradley Barcola," he added, as quoted by BTA.

"From my generation, I admire Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud. Olivier is more of a classic goalscorer, and his story reminds me a lot of my own. Among foreign players, I like Ferran Torres, Harry Kane, Lautaro Martínez," said last season's Ligue 1 top scorer.

"What could be better than receiving a few passes from Zinedine Zidane to practice shooting? The stress and pressure quickly disappeared. My initial goals with the team are to win our first four matches as a unit. Personally, I'll be aiming to earn playing time. When you work hard, it pays off, and I intend to do just that," Léopold promised.