Zidane begins work as a new era dawns for the French national team

Zinedine Zidane spent many years patiently waiting for his opportunity to take charge of the French national team. On Friday, he will lead the “Les Bleus” for the first time, succeeding Didier Deschamps, in a match against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League.

Zidane previously managed the “Royal Club” in two separate stints, guiding them to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.

His second tenure as head coach of Real Madrid ended in 2021. Since then, he has been content to wait for the right moment and prepare for the role he had long anticipated.

Speaking at his presentation as France’s new manager in Paris in late July, Zidane said: “I have been waiting for this day for four or five years. I feel a lot of emotion and immense enthusiasm. I am very happy. It means a lot to me.” This marks the beginning of a new era for France, 14 years after Deschamps took over.

On Friday, Zidane announced his first squad, which included several new names. Expectations are high that under his leadership, the French team will adopt a more attacking style compared to most of Deschamps’ tenure, at least until the most recent World Cup.

He stated: “You will see how I view football. Playing beautiful football is what motivates me. There will always be balance in the team, but I want to see our national team play, and I believe we have the players capable of doing so.”

Arsenal defender William Saliba and Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni are absent from the French squad due to injury, while the list features several new faces.

Center-back Jérémy Jacque was called up following his strong start to the season with English club Liverpool. Midfielder Lucas Da Cunha joined from Italian club Como, while Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul earned his first chance after leading the French league in goals scored last season.

David Bettoni will serve as Zidane’s assistant coach, having previously worked with him at Real Madrid. Fabien Barthez, his former teammate on the French national team and co-winner of the World Cup with him, will be in charge of training the goalkeepers.

The new manager’s first major objective will be leading France at UEFA Euro 2028 in Britain and Ireland, ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.

However, the journey begins with the UEFA Nations League, a tournament that offers Zidane strong tests from the outset without the pressures associated with the European Championship or the World Cup.