Lucas Da Cunha’s route to France has taken him from rejected trials and loan spells to the captaincy of one of Italy’s most unlikely success stories. On Friday, the Como midfielder was handed his first senior international call-up by Zinédine Zidane, becoming the surprise inclusion in the new France manager’s first squad.
The 24-year-old has emerged as a central figure under Cesc Fabregas at Como, where a change of role has transformed a former winger into a creative midfield leader. His rise now carries him into the France setup alongside another player from his Rennes academy generation, Adrien Truffert.
From Roanne dreams to Rennes development
Born in Roanne, north of Saint-Étienne, Da Cunha grew up in a household devoted to AS Saint-Étienne. His family followed the club closely, with Geoffroy-Guichard holding a particular place in their football life.
Da Cunha had been spotted more than once by Saint-Étienne scouts and, as a child, even shared a pitch with former France striker Bafétimbi Gomis. Yet he never joined the club’s academy. He later admitted that he tended to hold himself back during those early opportunities.
Trials at Saint-Étienne, Lyon and Dijon did not bring the breakthrough he wanted. Rennes eventually gave him the platform to develop, placing him within an academy group that also included Eduardo Camavinga, Sacha Boey, Yann Gboho and Truffert.
Da Cunha won the French Under-17 title in 2018 and the Under-19 championship a year later, while also appearing for France at youth level. But he needed senior minutes to continue his progress.
He joined Nice in the summer of 2020, shortly after turning 19, and was immediately sent on loan to Lausanne in Switzerland. A further temporary spell at Clermont, from January to May 2022, followed before he decided that his future no longer lay on the Côte d’Azur.
Fabregas rebuilds Da Cunha in midfield
Como offered Da Cunha a fresh start in January 2023. At that point, the ambitious Italian club were battling to stay afloat in Serie B, far from the European stage they would later reach.
By Lake Como, Da Cunha met Fabregas, initially a team-mate before becoming the club’s coach. Wearing number 33, the Frenchman was moved infield by the former Spain international and found a role better suited to his technical range and vision.
The shift proved decisive. Da Cunha helped Como reach Serie A, establish themselves against Italy’s leading sides and then secure an unexpected Champions League qualification last season. He was also given the captain’s armband, underlining his importance to a young and adventurous side that has rapidly exceeded expectations.
Standing 1.74 metres tall, Da Cunha has become a versatile, ball-playing presence in the middle of the pitch. Last season he contributed eight goals and four assists in all competitions.
He has credited Fabregas with reshaping his game, saying the coach’s tactical work and his new position had made him the player he is becoming. “He changed my football,” Da Cunha said.
A first senior France opportunity
Zidane’s decision gives Da Cunha a first chance at senior international level after an unconventional development path. It is a striking turn for a player whose career once appeared to be defined by missed academy openings, loans and uncertainty.
Now Como captain, Champions League qualifier and France international, Da Cunha has become one of the clearest symbols of the club’s extraordinary climb under Fabregas.
