Jeremy Jacquet “Generally Happy” After Strong France Debut

# What happened

# Jacquet's reaction and what he said Jacquet emphasized the result first: for a defender, a clean sheet is the primary objective. He did acknowledge two or three attacking passes that became turnovers and said he could have executed those better. He also revealed that Zidane informed him just two days before the match that he would be starting, and that the coach "likes to give everyone the chance to prove themselves" and "always speaks calmly."

# Club background and recent form Liverpool signed Jacquet in a deal agreed in January and completed the move over the summer for a reported £60 million. Before joining Liverpool, Jacquet had a season playing regularly for Rennes — 21 appearances — before an injury curtailed the latter part of that campaign. The season before that he totaled 11 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes and 17 in Ligue 2 with Clermont.

# Why the debut matters Zidane's selection and Jacquet's composed performance provide a strong signal that the France coaching staff consider him ready for senior international duty. For Liverpool, having a centre back start and deliver for his national team reinforces the club's recent investment and the rationale for making him a regular starter.

Jacquet's own assessment — pleased with the clean sheet but critical of some passing moments — points to a young defender who gauges success by measurable defensive outcomes while also focusing on the detail work that coaches will expect to clean up.

# What to watch next

• Whether Zidane continues to include Jacquet regularly in future France squads and how quickly he cements a place among established defenders.
• How Liverpool manages his minutes across domestic and international schedules, given his recent injury history and the demands of the Premier League.

# Bottom line Jacquet combined the most important defensive outcome — a clean sheet — with a personal performance he judged improvable in parts. His quick integration at Liverpool and immediate exposure at international level under Zidane create a short-term test of durability and consistency, but Monday's match offered a clear first proof point that he can perform at senior international level.