Brest striker Ludovic Ajorque backed for France call-up after five-goal win

Brest manager Julien Le Cardinal has urged Ludovic Ajorque to aim for a place in the France squad after the striker helped his side beat Angers 5-1 on Saturday.

Ajorque, 32, opened the scoring and remained a constant threat to the Angers defence throughout the match. His physical presence caused problems for the visitors, while he also played an important role in Brest’s attacking moves.

The display prompted Le Cardinal to discuss the possibility of Ajorque earning international recognition under France manager Zinedine Zidane. The comments were reported by Foot Mercato, which quoted the Brest boss speaking to the Ligue +1 network.

“I have heard that the national team manager wants a player with a strong presence in the penalty area,” Le Cardinal said. “If he is watching the match on television, I would argue for Ajorque to be called up to Les Bleus. In any case, he deserves it.”

Le Cardinal believes Ajorque should set his sights higher, pointing to Esteban Lepaul as an example. Lepaul was recently selected for France and made a positive impression under Zidane.

The Brest manager said performances in Ligue 1 could provide a route into the national team, while insisting that his players should pursue that ambition without placing pressure on the France boss.

“We must have ambitions,” Le Cardinal added. “We should not be content simply with playing matches for Brest in Ligue 1. We must aspire to play at the highest level.”

He also emphasised Ajorque’s commitment and the work he puts in each day, qualities that have helped strengthen the case for an international opportunity.

Ajorque’s record provides further support for his manager’s argument. The forward has scored 69 goals in 204 Ligue 1 appearances, a return Le Cardinal believes merits serious consideration from France.

Brest’s emphatic victory over Angers gave Ajorque the chance to underline both his goalscoring ability and his influence in attack, while his manager used the occasion to make a public case for a player he feels should be considered beyond club football.