Late Bloomer: Como Keeper Jean Butez Earns First-Ever France Call-Up at 30

Como goalkeeper Jean Butez has been handed his first-ever call-up to the France national team, a landmark moment for a player whose route to the international stage has been anything but conventional. As reported by Football Italia, the 30-year-old shot-stopper has been rewarded for his outstanding form in Serie A, with Didier Deschamps adding him to the Les Bleus squad for the upcoming international window. Butez's story is one of persistence. A product of Lille's academy in his homeland, he was unable to break into senior football in France and instead built his career the hard way in Belgium. After a spell at Mouscron, he established himself as one of the Belgian Pro League's most reliable goalkeepers at Royal Antwerp, where he was between the posts for the club's historic 2022-23 domestic double. That pedigree earned him a move to Como in 2024, and under head coach Cesc Fàbregas he has flourished in Italian football. His sharp reflexes, command of the penalty area and consistent shot-stopping have made him one of the standout keepers in Serie A, and his performances have now captured the attention of the national team setup. For Deschamps, the goalkeeping picture has long been settled around Mike Maignan, but the France boss has been assessing his depth ahead of a pivotal year. With Brice Samba and Lucas Chevalier also in the conversation, Butez now enters the fight for a place at the deepest end of Les Bleus' talent pool. The timing could hardly be more significant. France have already secured their place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and with the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico drawing closer, every squad selection serves as an audition. Deschamps, who has confirmed he will step down after the World Cup, is leaving no stone unturned in his final campaign at the helm. For Butez, the call-up is validation of a career built on patience rather than hype. Few goalkeepers earn their first international recognition at 30, and fewer still do so after spending the bulk of their playing days outside the traditional spotlight of Europe's biggest leagues. Whether or not he takes the field, training alongside France's established stars will provide invaluable experience at the highest level. And if his club form continues on its current trajectory, Butez may yet force his way into the discussion for a seat on the plane to North America next summer — a prospect that seemed unthinkable just a few seasons ago.