New France Coach Zinédine Zidane Leads First Training Session Ahead of Nations League

Zinédine Zidane officially began his tenure as coach of the France national team on Monday, overseeing his very first training session with Les Bleus at the national football centre in Clairefontaine. The appointment and subsequent training camp mark the start of a new era for the French squad as they prepare to dive into a demanding sequence of matches in the UEFA Nations League.

According to reports from France 24 and AFP, the 1998 World Cup winner stepped onto the pitch to lead a restricted group of players under the watchful eyes of approximately 50 journalists. Because many of France's top-tier stars were still finishing club commitments across Europe over the weekend, only a dozen players from Zidane's newly named 23-man squad were available for the initial workout.

Among the dozen players present on the pitch for the light training session were Michael Olise, Eduardo Camavinga, Jules Kounde, and Dayot Upamecano. Notably absent from the Monday session was national team captain Kylian Mbappé, who had played just a day prior in Real Madrid's domestic derby defeat against Atlético Madrid on Sunday.

Zidane has surrounded himself with a trusted backroom team as he takes the reins of the national setup. He was joined on the training pitch by assistant David Bettoni, with whom he previously collaborated during his successful managerial stint at Real Madrid. Additionally, former teammate Fabien Barthez—who tasted glory alongside Zidane in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning campaigns—has taken on the role of France's goalkeeping coach.

The initial training workout was kept relatively light to accommodate the players' varied physical recovery schedules. It concluded with a short practice match, followed by a lighthearted yet symbolic moment as players took shots on goal from crosses delivered directly by Zidane himself.

The training camp serves as the critical springboard for a demanding stretch of competition. France is set to play four crucial Nations League fixtures in the immediate weeks following this gathering. The schedule kicks off with a pair of challenging away matches, starting with a fixture in Turkey on September 25, followed by a trip to face Belgium on September 28.

Following the away games, Les Bleus will return home to host Italy and Belgium at the Stade de France in early October. These upcoming encounters will provide the first true test of Zidane's tactical vision and leadership for the national team since taking over the position.

Reaction to the coaching change has already generated significant excitement among the players. Ahead of the training sessions, team captain Kylian Mbappé publicly described the prospect of playing under Zidane as being "like a film," capturing the high expectations surrounding the legendary former midfielder's return to elite French football. As the squad completes its preparations at Clairefontaine, attention now turns to how quickly Zidane can implement his ideas ahead of the opening Nations League tests.