Guillaume Restes stepped into the Stade de France lights on Monday night with a landmark already attached to his name. The Toulouse goalkeeper made his senior France debut against Belgium in the Nations League, selected from the start by Zinédine Zidane in place of Mike Maignan.
Quick facts
- Guillaume Restes started for France against Belgium in Saint-Denis.
- The Toulouse FC goalkeeper was making his first senior international appearance.
- He was aged 21 years and 208 days on his debut.
- Restes is France’s youngest starting goalkeeper for 53 years.
- Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes held the previous mark, starting against Denmark on 21 November 1973 at 21 years and 182 days.
At 21 years and 208 days, Restes became the youngest goalkeeper to begin a match for Les Bleus since Bertrand-Demanes more than five decades ago. The former Nantes keeper had been 21 years and 182 days old when France faced Denmark in 1973.
That November evening ended in a 3-0 French victory, and no younger goalkeeper had started for the national team in the years between Bertrand-Demanes’ outing and Restes’ call.
Restes’ inclusion was one of the notable decisions for the final match of the France camp. Called into the senior squad for the first time, the Toulouse player was handed an immediate opportunity rather than a place on the bench.
The young goalkeeper’s display against Belgium at the Stade de France will now be closely watched, as a new name enters France’s long-running competition for the No. 1 shirt.
