Zinedine Zidane spent years patiently waiting in the wings for his chance to manage France and on Friday the successor to Didier Deschamps as coach of Les Bleus will lead the side out for the first time in a UEFA Nations League tie in Turkey. But Zidane was the inspiration in those sides, a majestic playmaker with balletic ball control as well as a wicked side to his game. Now 54, Zidane is widely recognised as one of the all-time great French players, alongside Michel Platini. Deschamps was the captain of the first France team to win the World Cup, as hosts in 1998, and of the side that won Euro 2000.
Zinedine Zidane spent years patiently waiting in the wings for his chance to manage France and on Friday the successor to Didier Deschamps as coach of Les Bleus will lead the side out for the first time in a UEFA Nations League tie in Turkey.
On Friday he announced his first squad, and there were several new faces amid expectations that his team will be more attack-minded than France were for the majority of the Deschamps era, at least up until the recent World Cup. “You will get to see how I see football. Playing good football is what gets me going. That trio are all present in Zidane’s squad, with the new coach confirming Mbappe as captain. Injured Arsenal defender William Saliba and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid are notable absentees, while there are several new faces.
He bowed out of international football as a player 20 years ago with his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in extra time of the World Cup final in Berlin which France lost on penalties to Italy. He then enjoyed two separate spells coaching the Spanish giants, winning the Champions League three years running between 2016 and 2018. France were the favourites only to end up losing to Spain in the semi-finals, but captain Mbappe was the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals while Michael Olise was outstanding.
There will always be a balance to the side, but I want to see us play and I think we have the team to do that,” he said.
Zidane never returned, spending five years in Italy before the finest days of his playing career came at Real Madrid. Last year’s Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembele shone intermittently.
