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By Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip)

The French national team has a rich history of talented players of foreign lineage.

Just a glance at the 1998 FIFA World Cup-winning squad on home soil illustrates the success of Les Bleus’ policy of calling up the best players raised in France, as well as those who originate from countries with a strong French influence.

Players such as Patrick Vieira, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram and Christian Karembeu were born outside of France - although Thuram’s native Guadeloupe is officially an overseas departement. While the likes of Youri Djorkaeff, Thierry Henry, Bernard Diomede, Bernard Lama, David Trezeguet and even the great Zinedine Zidane were born inside of France to parents of foreign origin.

Algeria is a country that has proven to be one of the richest sources of talent.

Zidane was born in Marseille to Algerian parents, as was Manchester City’s former French international Samir Nasri and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema - one of the current stars for the national team - was born in Lyon to Algerian parents.

This international break, another name has joined Zidane, Nasri, Benzema and many others on that list. Olympique Lyonnais’ Nabil Fekir, one of this season’s breakout stars in Ligue 1, was born in Lyon to Algerian parents in the same way Benzema was. However, the 21-year-old’s rise to prominence has been so sudden that he had only amassed one under-21 cap when he was named in Didier Deschamps’ squad for this week’s Brazil and Denmark friendlies.

Fekir has been at the centre of a tug of war between France and Algeria for some time, with Les Fennecs’ coach Christian Gourcuff even calling the starlet up for his team’s friendlies against Oman and Qatar this month.

However, the Lyon sensation declined the chance to join the Frenchman’s squad. Instead, much to the disappointment of many Algerians - including members of his own family, he decided to pledge his international future to Gourcuff’s country of birth. On Thursday, Fekir made his long-awaited debut for Les Bleus in the 3-1 defeat to Brazil at Stade de France and was greeted by a smattering of boos from the crowd, suggesting that some Algerians in attendance have not yet digested his choice..

"People talked about my decision a lot,” Fekir told journalists after joining the French squad at Clairefontaine training centre earlier this week. “As I've said, it was a well thought-through choice and I think it will be a definitive one. Things have gone really well so far. My dream is coming true one step at a time.”

“I'm very happy and proud to be here; everyone has given me a warm welcome - both the staff and the players,” the OL man continued. “Right now I'm here to get my bearings among the great players who make up the France team.”

“I'm not going to rush anything but I do want to bring my qualities to bear: my technique and my impact,” Fekir stated level-headedly. “Every player should have ambition. For me, my objective is clear: I want to be a part of EURO 2016 with Les Bleus."

So why has Fekir’s international future been causing such furore? Put simply, he is a phenomenally gifted young player. The sort of talent worth fighting over.

If you have been following Lyon’s impressive challenge for the Ligue 1 title so far, then you will have noticed that along with 23-goal top-scorer Alexandre Lacazette, Fekir has been one of the key protagonists for Hubert Fournier’s men as they bid for an eighth French crown.

The Lyon No. 18 has scored 11 goals and laid on a further seven in just 26 appearances in his first full season of first team action. He has also struck up an excellent understanding with strike partner Lacazette, having provided him with three of those seven assists.

Fekir plays best as a supporting striker, not a number 10 but also not an out-and-out forward.

His pace, poise, ability to beat his man and superb technical ability make him the perfect partner in crime for Lacazette, who has become more ruthless in front of goal this season. Fekir is not exactly profligate when given the chance, but also has great vision and good passing skills and that makes him as much of a danger in a creative capacity as he is in terms of his finishing.

Deschamps has clearly recognised these qualities in Fekir and could wait no longer to call up the in-demand Lyon gem.

"I selected him for these two matches because I feel that he's a player with huge potential and who has some different qualities from those that the rest of the players in my squad have," the 46-year-old tactician explained. "He's a player who can accelerate and make an impact as soon as he gets the ball, and he's very good in front of goal.”

“With his club he plays mostly behind the strikers,” Deschamps continued. “But he's very versatile and can still add more strings to his bow."

The Lacazette and Fekir double act has impressed at club level this season, but both players now must prove themselves on the international stage. The former, although he has five caps to his name, is yet to score his first goal for Les Bleus and is far from being a fixture in Deschamps’ starting XI just yet.

If both can seize their opportunities and impress the 1998 World Cup-winning captain, then there is a good chance that we will see the prolific Lacazette-Fekir tandem at international level in the near future - perhaps even at the 2016 UEFA European Championship on home soil.

However, one other thing is clear. Fekir is keen to play for France as long as he figures in Deschamps’ plans when in form.

Being Euro 2016 hosts is a disadvantage for Les Bleus in this respect, because he can switch his international allegiance to Algeria at any time. There are no competitive matches for the hosts until they kick off their own tournament on June 10 of next year at Stade de France.

Only then will we know whether or not Fekir truly is France’s to keep.