Sports
French tactician Zinedine Zidane has orchestrated a remarkable and historic launch to his tenure as manager of the national team, securing three victories alongside one draw in his opening four fixtures. This impressive run matches a long-standing national record established back in 2002 by former coach Jacques Santini, who accomplished an identical start upon taking charge. Zidane has maintained an unblemished record with Les Bleus, having guided the squad to a 1-0 win over Turkey, followed by a victory with the same scoreline against Belgium. A 1-1 stalemate with Italy ensued before France delivered a commanding 4-1 triumph over Belgium in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League. That emphatic second victory over the Belgians propelled France to the top of Group 1 with 10 points, highlighting a stunning turnaround after falling behind to a Dodi Lukebakio strike in the 35th minute. The French squad orchestrated a sweeping comeback late in the second half, starting with an equalizer from Desire Doue in the 77th minute. Rayan Cherki swiftly netted the second goal shortly after, before Michael Olise struck twice in rapid succession to seal the comprehensive 4-1 victory. The contest underlined Zidane's tactical acumen and impactful substitutions. By granting decisive attacking freedom to Doue, Cherki, and Olise, the manager altered the momentum, allowing the substitutes to register four unanswered goals within a narrow timeframe and decisively overturn the deficit for the hosts. Zidane’s competitive journey with France commenced in September with the narrow 1-0 win against Turkey, a result promptly repeated against Belgium. He subsequently experienced his first home fixture in front of French supporters against Italy, a duel that concluded in a 1-1 draw after Michael Olise opened the scoring for France and Alessandro Bastoni leveled the score for the Italians. With the latest triumph over Belgium, Zidane became only the second French manager since 2002 to collect three wins and a draw across his initial four fixtures. Jacques Santini had been the previous tactician to hit that benchmark upon assuming leadership in 2002, meaning Zidane matched a standard that stood unchallenged for 24 years, delivering the best start by any manager since that era. This achievement holds immense significance for Zidane, who assumed control of the squad following Didier Deschamps' departure after the 2026 World Cup—a development widely anticipated for years. The French Football Federation formalized Zidane's appointment in July, marking the end of Deschamps’ tenure that had spanned roughly 14 years at the helm. Thanks to this positive run, France commands Group 1 in the Nations League with 10 points from three wins and a draw. Belgium occupies the second spot with 6 points, Italy sits third with 4 points, and Turkey remains at the bottom of the table without points. France faces two remaining group fixtures in the upcoming international break against Italy and Turkey to secure qualification. This strong opening provides Zidane with considerable momentum in his first national team managerial role, returning to coaching after years away following his departure from Real Madrid. With the Spanish club, Zidane built an illustrious coaching resume featuring three consecutive UEFA Champions League trophies alongside various domestic and continental honors, and he now seeks to replicate that excellence with the nation he guided to World Cup glory as a player in 1998.
