Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes made his senior international debut for France on Monday evening, starting in goal during a 4-1 victory against Belgium at the Stade de France in the UEFA Nations League.
At 21 years old, the Toulouse player became the youngest goalkeeper to start a match for the French national team since Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes set the benchmark in 1973.
Restes conceded one goal during the match, a fourth round fixture in the Nations League group stage, though he could do little to stop the strike as Les Bleus secured a dominant victory.
Record debut at national stadium
Speaking after the final whistle, Restes stated that earning a call-up to the French national team had been a primary target over recent seasons and that making his debut represented a dream come true.
The young goalkeeper said he derived great pleasure from playing at the Stade de France, located in Saint-Denis just north of Paris, in front of his family and friends on a memorable evening.
Born in Toulouse, often called the Pink City due to its terracotta brick architecture, Restes joined his hometown club Toulouse Football Club as a youth player before establishing himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in Ligue 1.
His record-breaking debut broke a mark held for 53 years by Bertrand-Demanes, the former FC Nantes goalkeeper who represented France 11 times during the 1970s and played at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
Zidane explains selection decision
France head coach Zinédine Zidane praised the young goalkeeper's performance and detailed why he chose to start Restes ahead of established first-choice keeper Mike Maignan.
Zidane explained that he took the decision because Restes needed to experience playing for the national team on the pitch, ensuring he is prepared if anything were to happen to Maignan, who plays for Italian side AC Milan.
The manager noted that while Restes had spent 15 days observing and training with the international squad, physically taking the pitch in a competitive match provided invaluable experience.
Zidane added that he made the starting selection in close consultation with Fabien Barthez, the 1998 World Cup winner who works as part of the French national team coaching staff.
The head coach declared himself delighted with how the debut unfolded, saying the initiative went extremely well and expressing his happiness for the young player.
Return to club action with Toulouse
Following his international milestone, Restes will return to the Stadium de Toulouse to join his club teammates as they prepare for Saturday's Ligue 1 clash against Monaco.
The UEFA Nations League is Europe's biennial international tournament for senior men's national teams, offering competitive fixtures between major tournaments such as the European Championship and the FIFA World Cup.
