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Photos: elmundo.es
Guys, this was a matter of time, but the moment has arrived: Zinedine Zidane is the new coach of France. And don't tell me the guy isn't excited, because in his first press conference he let slip that "the French team will resemble Real Madrid" and that "I have been in Spain for 25 years, you know what that means". Come on, we're going to see a France that plays beautifully, that goes after the opponent and doesn't sit back like with Deschamps (with all due respect, he also gave them a World Cup and a final).
What I like most about Zizou is that he spent five years waiting for this position, turning down huge offers from PSG and other national teams, because his thing was to coach France. Now he inherits a great squad: Mbappé, Olise, Tchouaméni, Saliba... and on top of that he says his coaching staff is almost the same that led Madrid to three consecutive Champions Leagues. In other words, he brings the white recipe to the blue house.
But watch out, not everything is happiness: the first match will be against Turkey in the Nations League in September, and then he'll have to face Spain, which crosses his path everywhere. He himself said: "Spain is tough, I know how Spanish football has evolved". But he also made it clear that he wants to beat everyone, not just the neighbors.
Do you think Zidane will make France champions again or will he crash under the pressure of being national team coach?
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Now comes the big debate: Is Zidane a guarantee of success or could he be a bluff? Because one thing is to coach clubs with a massive budget and another very different thing is to manage international egos, short training camps and unexpected injuries. He comes with an attacking philosophy, but we already know that in tournaments sometimes you have to suffer. I personally think he's hungry and knows what it's like to win, but international football is another world.
Let's not forget that France is coming off a defeat in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup against Spain, and that the atmosphere was a bit tense with Deschamps. Zidane arrives to unite and give it a more attractive touch, but the demand is maximum: at home they don't forgive.
And then there's the Mbappé issue: president Diallo has confirmed it, the team belongs to the players, but Zidane has said that "I have to talk to them and explain my project". Will he get along with Kylian? Because at Real Madrid there were tensions when his idol CR7 left, but now they are two monsters of French football. If they clash, things get complicated.
Well, what do you think, does this France with Zizou scare you more than Deschamps' France? Or do you think offensive football is overrated and what works is pragmatism? Let it drop, I want to see controversy.