Internationals: Leroux nets debut goal as Les Bleuets see off Serbia

It was debut delight for FC Nantes midfielder Louis Leroux, who scored France U23's second goal in style as Ligue 1 McDonald's representation was high in Les Bleuets' friendly against Serbia. It was the first outing for Gérald Baticle’s men since their semi-final exit at Euro 2025, and captain Mathys Tel wasted no time in setting the tone. The Tottenham man thrashed a strike into the top corner to open the scoring for Les Bleuets with only two minutes on the clock.

France dominated the first half, controlling possession and creating the best openings. Lesley Ugochukwu went close from distance, while Wilson Odobert was lively down the left. Serbia, by contrast, struggled to threaten Guillaume Restes’ goal, their best chance a corner just before the halftime interval.

It was a side already full of Ligue 1 McDonald's talent, as Toulouse FC's Restes started between the sticks before being replaced by Lens stopper Robin Risser at half-time. Meanwhile, Monaco's Christian Mawissa began the affair at the back with Saël Kumbedi and former Lille and Nantes talents Leny Yoro and Nathan Zézé. LOSC's Ayoubb Bouaddi featured until the hour-mark, whilst the likes of Paris FC's Noah Sangui, Auxerre's Kevin Danois, and former Lorient man Eli Junior Kroupi made their entries during the second period.

Baticle rang the changes at half-time, introducing no fewer than five new faces. Among them, Nantes’ Louis Leroux, who would make a decisive impact. Just ten minutes after coming on, the midfielder doubled France’s lead, finishing smartly from Mawissa’s cut-back after a neat attacking move.

The visitors responded with their own raft of substitutions and briefly unsettled the French backline. Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser was called into action, notably saving Jovan Mijatovic’s header from close range. Substitute Noah Edjouma later came close to adding a third, denied by Serbian keeper Viktor Dzodic. Then finally in injury time, captain and former Rennes man Mathys Tel turned in a dangerous free-kick from Leroux on the left channel to put the affair out of sight, and top off a positive evening for Les Bleuets in Brittany.

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