Zidane’s France beat Turkey as coach misses start of national anthem

Zinédine Zidane Misses Opening Chords of La Marseillaise

The pre-match proceedings in Izmit proved eventful before a ball was kicked. Zinédine Zidane was still in the stadium tunnels when the French national anthem began to play, caught out by a swift stadium protocol schedule. “They started it a bit quickly, the protocol, it was a bit… They told me it was starting, but late,” Zidane explained in his post-match remarks. The former Real Madrid manager emerged moments later to take in the remainder of the anthem, which was met with loud whistles from the home supporters in the hostile Turkish arena—an atmosphere Zidane acknowledged as typical for such fixtures.

Habituated to high-pressure environments from his illustrious playing career, the 1998 World Cup winner brushed off the hostile reception as part of the challenge. Despite the administrative hiccup with the anthem, Zidane quickly turned his focus to the pitch, where his side delivered a disciplined performance following just three and a half training sessions.

Tactical Setup and Ousmane Dembélé in a Central Role

Deploying a 4-3-3 tactical shape, Zidane asked his players to press high up the pitch with sustained intensity. Forward Ousmane Dembélé, deployed centrally rather than on his usual flank, confirmed that the tactical instructions emphasized communication and collective work rate. “We know it’s a complicated pitch, we played a very good match overall,” Dembélé said. “In the axis, I feel good, I play in this position all season with Paris SG, so it’s not new.”

Zidane expressed satisfaction with his squad’s adaptability, highlighting Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé’s positional flexibility. Mbappé started on the wing but maintained the freedom to roam across attacking areas. However, the victory came with a cost; subsequent reports indicated that Mbappé sustained a knee injury during the fixture, forcing him to leave the international training camp early.

First Caps and Staff Contributions

The match also featured a milestone for forward Estéban Lepaul, who celebrated his first senior selection for Les Bleus. Coming off the bench to help defend the slender lead, Lepaul admitted he barely had time to process the moment. “I didn’t really realize it at the time, I came on with everyone’s support. There was a score to hold, we had to graft, I’m super happy,” Lepaul said, adding that Zidane kept his halftime adjustments minimal, focusing on minor details while giving players autonomy.

Zidane also praised the heavy involvement of his coaching staff, specifically highlighting former teammate and assistant coach Fabien Barthez. “He is very invested, very involved, he didn’t surprise me because that’s why I chose him. He is very passionate, with his goalkeepers but not only that. He gives his opinion,” Zidane stated.

Following this hard-fought opening win in Group play, Les Bleus turn their attention to subsequent Nations League fixtures as Zidane continues to evaluate his squad ahead of the upcoming qualification milestones.