The era of Didier Deschamps is finally over, and French football has entered completely uncharted territory. When Zinedine Zidane stepped onto the immaculate pitches of Clairefontaine on Monday to oversee his very first training session as manager of Les Bleus, it felt less like a standard international break and more like a seismic shift in the sport.
You don't just replace a manager who spent fourteen years at the helm and reached three major tournament finals. You take on a mountain of expectations. Zidane has traded his five-year managerial hiatus for the most scrutinized job in international football, and his opening week leaves zero room for adaptation.
The First Session at Clairefontaine
Under the watchful eyes of roughly fifty journalists, Zidane led an initial group of twelve players through a light tactical workout. Because many of France's heavy hitters were coming off heavy weekend domestic fixtures across Europe, the squad was split.
Names like Eduardo Camavinga, Michael Olise, Jules Koundé, and Dayot Upamecano participated fully in ball drills. Meanwhile, captain Kylian Mbappé and other starters who featured in Sunday's grueling derby action—such as Real Madrid's clash against Atlético—remained inside the gym for recovery work and medical treatment.
What caught the eye of onlookers wasn't just the tactical drills, though. It was the familiar coaching staff standing by Zidane's side. David Bettoni, his trusted tactical architect from the legendary Real Madrid three-peat era, is back in the dugout. Alongside him is Fabien Barthez, the eccentric World Cup-winning goalkeeper who has taken over responsibilities as the national team's goalkeeping coach. Zidane is surrounding himself exclusively with people who know his psychology, his standards, and how he wins.
Then came the vintage moment: at the end of the session, Zidane reportedly stepped in to deliver crosses himself, treating the players to a quick finishing drill. Some things never change.
No Warm-Ups, Just Heavy Competition
Most new managers get a comfortable runway of friendlies to test formations, look at fringe prospects, and figure out who fits their system. Zidane gets no such luxury.
The UEFA Nations League calendar hits hard and fast. France faces a brutal opening block with matches against Türkiye and Belgium, followed quickly by tests against Italy. There are no low-stakes friendlies to iron out the creases. Every single minute on the training pitch this week is geared toward immediate survival in a fiercely competitive group.
For players like Mbappé, who recently described working under Zidane as feeling "like a movie," the psychological lift is massive. But football doesn't run on cinematic nostalgia.
The Immediate Challenges Ahead
Transitioning from Deschamps' pragmatic, tournament-hardened pragmatism to Zidane's player-management brilliance will test the locker room's adaptability. Deschamps gave France an identity of relentless defensive resilience and ruthless efficiency. Zidane will likely demand more positional fluidity and expressive technical control, drawing on the philosophy that brought him three consecutive Champions League trophies with Real Madrid.
Yet, the questions are piling up fast:
- How will the midfield balance look without Toni Kroos or Luka Modrić to dictate tempo?
- Can Zidane integrate younger profiles like Andy Diouf and Magnus Akliouche without disrupting the core leadership group?
- Will the heavy defensive expectations shift under a manager who famously prefers to let world-class attackers express themselves?
The answers start arriving Friday night against Türkiye. The Zinedine Zidane era has officially begun, and the pressure is already at maximum volume.
