Zinedine Zidane Begins France Era Against Turkey in Nations League
Zinedine Zidane begins his tenure as France national team coach against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League, succeeding Didier Deschamps after a 14-year era.
The Zinedine Zidane era for the French national team kicks off tomorrow (Friday, 21:45) in Kocaeli, where Turkey hosts Les Bleus in the opening match of Group 1 in League A of the UEFA Nations League. Zidane, who led France to its first-ever World Cup triumph in 1998, steps into the shoes of his former captain, Didier Deschamps, who concluded a 14-year tenure as national team coach, leading them to World Cup glory in 2018 and the final in 2022.
Zidane's Debut as Head Coach
"It is an immense emotion to be here for the first time as a coach, perhaps even more so than before my first match as a player," Zidane said at the press conference. "The enthusiasm around me is normal, it's something new after 14 years with Didier. I became the national team coach and obviously people will talk about it. But the heroes are the players. I am staying in my role."
Regarding the absence of Kylian Mbappé from the press conference, Zidane noted: "We are obliged to send a coach and a player. Today it is Adrien Rabiot. Kylian is fine. He had a minor issue, but nothing serious. He will be fit for tomorrow's match."
Rabiot on the New Era
Adrien Rabiot, appointed by Zidane as one of captain Kylian Mbappé's deputies, attended the press conference prior to the coach and stated: "What has changed with him? First of all, there are some new players. Every coach has different ways of doing things, different training sessions, and different ideas. Quite a bit has changed, to be honest. We worked and talked about things. The goal with either Deschamps or Zidane is the same: to win."
"The coach wants an offensive style and likes the full-backs to be in high positions. He wants players with an attacking mindset, but also that we maintain balance," Rabiot added.
