Zidane set to kick off new era

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 when France visits Turkiye in the UEFA Nations League.

Now 54, Zidane is widely recognized 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 host in 1998, and of the side that won Euro 2000. But Zidane was the inspiration in those sides, a majestic playmaker with balletic ball control, as well as a wicked side to his game.

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.

That game was the 108th and last time that Zidane, the Marseille-born son of Algerian immigrants, played for France.

But he left his home country to move abroad aged just 24, when he quit Bordeaux for Juventus.

Zidane never returned, spending five years in Italy before the finest days of his playing career came at Real Madrid. He then enjoyed two separate spells coaching the Spanish giant, winning the Champions League three years running between 2016 and 2018.

His second stint in charge at the Bernabeu ended in 2021, and, ever since, he has simply been biding his time, preparing for the call to come.

"I have been waiting four or five years for this day. I am filled with emotion, I am really excited. I am happy. This is huge for me," Zidane said at his unveiling in Paris in late July, as a new era started for France following Deschamps' 14-year reign.

"Welcome home," Kylian Mbappe posted on Instagram upon Zidane's appointment.

Attacking promise

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 has been 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," he said. "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."

After years of favoring substance over style, leading to some criticism but also a World Cup triumph in 2018, Deschamps realized he had the players to play more on the front foot at this year's tournament in North America.

France was among the favorites, only to end up losing to Spain in the semifinals, but captain Mbappe was the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals and Michael Olise was outstanding. Last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele shone intermittently.

They 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.

Center-back Jeremy Jacquet was called up as a reward for an impressive start to the season at Liverpool, while midfielder Lucas Da Cunha of Como is an intriguing addition and Esteban Lepaul of Rennes arguably deserves his chance after being last season's top scorer in Ligue 1.

Zidane's assistant will be David Bettoni, who worked with him at Real. Fabien Barthez, who won the World Cup with Zidane, will be the goalkeeping coach.

The first major objective for the new manager will be success at Euro 2028 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, before looking toward the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

Deschamps has set the bar high in terms of expectations, with France getting to at least the semifinals in five of the last six major tournaments.

First up, though, is the Nations League, which gives Zidane some tough tests to begin, but without the pressure of the Euros or World Cup.

Les Bleus face Turkiye and Belgium away, before Zidane takes his home bow at the Stade de France on Oct 2 against Italy, a full-circle occasion that will likely stir memories of Materazzi and 2006.

AFP