Zinedine Zidane is excited about making what he anticipates will be a “very emotional” return to the Stade de France as he gears up for his initial home match as the manager of the French national team.
Les Bleus will face Italy in the Nations League on Friday, seeking to maintain their flawless start in the tournament.
Following Kylian Mbappe’s contribution to a 1-0 victory over Turkiye in their first match, Michael Olise’s late goal secured another 1-0 win against Belgium.
In that match, France achieved a passing accuracy of 92.8% in the opponent’s half, marking their highest completion rate in two decades.
Zidane expresses no apprehension about his home debut, which he hopes to celebrate with a significant win.
“Returning here is very emotional, and it will be even more so when the stadium is filled with fans,” Zidane stated during his press conference.
“There’s no fear; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve never focused on failure in my career. Instead, I view things as opportunities.
“I have an incredible team, I’m ready to make this dream a reality, and I will give it my all.”
Séance de frappes devant le but avant le match contre l’Italie pic.twitter.com/GeYTzjehFb
— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) October 1, 2026
France and Italy previously played against each other in the 2024-25 Nations League group stage, with the away team winning both matches 3-1.
Zidane has a complicated history with Italy, notably for headbutting Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final, a game that ended in Italy’s favor after Zidane was sent off.
“The images are being shown everywhere in a loop, and I’ve seen them,” Zidane remarked.
“I haven’t talked to Materazzi since that incident. I’m not proud of my actions, but I have no regrets. It’s part of my journey.
“Fortunately, that’s not the only thing I did in my career. There were many positive experiences, and I prefer to focus on those. No career is made up entirely of great moments.”
As soccer fans, the return of a legendary figure like Zidane to the international stage is thrilling, promising a blend of nostalgia and competitive spirit. This match against Italy, especially given their historical rivalry, could not only define Zidane’s tenure but also reignite the passion of supporters for the game.
Source: www.soccernews.com
