Zinédine Zidane makes his much-anticipated managerial debut as head coach of the French national team on Friday, October 2, 2026, facing Turkey in an away fixture for the opening matchday of the UEFA Nations League. The appointment has triggered divergent reactions across French football, most notably from his former 1998 World Cup-winning teammate Thierry Henry, who offered a striking evaluation of the new era during an interview on RMC.
Thierry Henry Hails the Return of Zidane on RMC
Speaking on the RMC broadcast “Rothen s’enflamme,” Thierry Henry expressed profound enthusiasm for seeing his former teammate assume command of Les Bleus. As reported by footmercato.net, Henry did not hesitate to elevate Zidane’s stature within the sport to divine proportions when discussing his impact on the current player pool.
«Avoir pas loin de Dieu au niveau du foot chez nous, et je dis ça sans volonté de heurter les religieux, mais c’est quand même au niveau de Dieu pour nous dans le foot… L’avoir en équipe de France et voir ce qu’il peut apporter à cette génération que j’ai aussi pu côtoyer,» Henry stated on the program, as documented by footmercato.net. He noted that contemporary players naturally widened their eyes when speaking with Zidane, acknowledging the weight of his legacy. At the same time, Henry emphasized that results remain paramount for the former Real Madrid boss following the departure of Didier Deschamps.
Contrasting Tone in Spanish Media Interviews
While Henry offered lavish praise during his French radio appearance, his commentary given to the Spanish sports daily AS presented a notably different cadence. According to onzemondial.com and fr.news.yahoo.com, when questioned about Zidane stepping into the France job, Henry offered a remarkably brief assessment: “Ce n’est pas mon sujet” (This is not my subject), while adding a polite “Je lui souhaite le meilleur” (I wish him the best).
Yahoo Actualités noted that Henry dedicated a significantly larger portion of his AS interview to praising the Spanish national team, identifying La Roja as the undisputed benchmark of world football following their World Cup triumph and victory over France in the semi-finals. Henry highlighted Spain’s collective work ethic, tactical identity, and dominance both with and without the ball, describing them as the only team he truly dreaded facing.
Footmercato.net further detailed Henry’s reflections on Clairefontaine, where the former striker admitted it felt surreal yet wonderful to see familiar faces from the golden generation—including Fabien Barthez—reunited around the national setup, while explicitly acknowledging the foundational work done by his predecessor, Didier Deschamps.
Preparation and Upcoming Nations League Fixture
Zidane takes charge of the national team with immediate competitive stakes. Following Friday’s opening match against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League, Les Bleus prepare for subsequent fixtures, including a high-profile encounter against Italy. Zidane emphasized in his pre-match media commitments reported by rmcsport.bfmtv.com that distinctions between primary and secondary squads do not exist under his leadership as he seeks to steady the team following a period of transition.
The transition from Didier Deschamps to Zinédine Zidane marks the beginning of a new chapter for the French Football Federation ahead of the next major international tournament cycles.
