In 1966, after having won the Coupe de France, Gress was not called up to the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England by national coach Henri Guérin because Gress refused to shorten his long hair. Under the new coach Louis Dugauguez, Gress was first called up on 27 September 1967 (a 1–5 defeat against Germany in Berlin). Altogether Gress played only three times in the France national football team (1967, 1968 and 1971) and did not score any goals.