The Albany Gazette - Zidane gets down to work as France start new era

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. 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 giants, 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 the 14-year reign of Deschamps.

"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 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. 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.

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

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. Last year's Ballon d'Or Ousmane Dembele shone intermittently.

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.

Centre-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 deserved his chance after top-scoring in Ligue 1 last season.

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 Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland, before the World Cup in Morocco, Spain and Portugal in 2030.

Deschamps has set the bar high in terms of expectations, with France getting to at least the semi-finals 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 Turkey and Belgium away before Zidane makes his home bow at the Stade de France on October 2 against Italy, an occasion that will stir memories of Materazzi and 2006.

(W.Williams--TAG)