Zidane opens a new era with France: A 12-player training session, the 2026 generation's pitch, and four Nations League tests awaiting judgment

Nearly 100 journalists gathered at Clairefontaine on September 21. That number is unusual enough to say more than any statement from France's new head coach. They did not come to watch a tactical training session; they came to watch Zinedine Zidane stand on the training pitch with Kylian Mbappé, to capture what the media has framed with Mbappé's own words: “It is like a movie, but it is true.”

Only 12 players took part in the session. Those who had started at the weekend were given light work, while the other 11 trained separately in the gym or with the medical staff. Most of the time was spent on technical drills and a five-a-side game. There was no full-field pressing drill, no official formation, no tactical situation revealed to the public. Yet for nearly 100 journalists, it was still the biggest sports event of the day.

For a writer who trusts numbers more than emotions, the gap between the data and the media atmosphere is the most interesting thing.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE ZIDANE ERA

According to the analysis material, Zidane was officially appointed in late July after turning down several big clubs to wait for the national team job. For most players, this is the first time they have worked with a different coach after years of working only with Didier Deschamps. This change is not merely a substitution on the bench; it is a transfer of power and a redefinition of the French national team's identity.

The September 21 session was therefore treated as the official milestone. Key details recorded:

• 12 players trained, mainly those who did not play the full weekend match.
• The other 11 trained separately, showing that the staff are prioritizing load management.
• The chosen pitch was Michel Platini's pitch, usually reserved for the 2026 World Cup-winning generation.
• David Bettoni, Zidane's close assistant from Real Madrid, constantly shouted instructions.
• Zidane spent most of his time encouraging players and creating a relaxed atmosphere.
• Michael Olise impressed in tight spaces.
• Andy Diouf trained with the national team for the first time.

The data does not allow any tactical conclusion. There is no PPDA, no xG, no pressing data. But the very absence of data is a signal: this session was designed to build trust, not to test a system.

TACTICAL SIGNAL IS ALMOST ZERO

The deep analysis states that the real tactical signal is almost zero. What can be said is that Zidane retains the management model from his Real Madrid days: assistant Bettoni handles detailed coaching instructions, while Zidane manages psychology and gives players confidence.

That division of labor was visible in the session. Bettoni shouted positional requirements, spacing, and passing tempo. Zidane walked around the pitch, tapped players on the shoulder, and encouraged them. Some players appeared nervous performing difficult moves. That is normal. Anyone working with a legend for the first time would be nervous.

From a purely tactical standpoint, we cannot say “Zidane will play high pressing” or “Zidane will build a possession-based style.” Everything we know about Zidane at Real Madrid suggests a pragmatic, flexible coach who reads matches well and does not insist on a single philosophy. He can defend and counterattack when needed, can surrender possession in big knockout games, and relies on the moments of his stars.

With Mbappé, Camavinga, Olise, Koundé, and Upamecano, France has a core suited to rapid transition and exploiting space behind the opponent's defense. That style is also very close to Deschamps's philosophy. In other words, Zidane may not break the old foundation; he may upgrade it in a more subtle way.

THE MICHEL PLATINI PITCH AND THE MEANING OF HERITAGE

One of the most notable details was not on the pitch, but beneath the players' feet. Zidane chose the Michel Platini pitch, normally used by the 2026 generation. For Zidane, this pitch was home during the days he and Deschamps, Blanc, Thuram, and Henry made history. Choosing this pitch in the first session was not accidental. It was a psychological message: “You are standing on the same ground as those who made France great. Now it is your turn.”

Combined with the fact that Mbappé was taken by Zidane to Real Madrid's training center at 13 or 14 years old, the story is complete: a legend returns to lead the young man whose talent he saw very early. Zidane is not a man of long speeches. He sends messages through actions, through space, through choosing a pitch, through letting his assistant shout while he observes. That is the shrewdness of a man who understands that football at this level is played with emotion more than people think.

NEW NAMES AND QUIET RENEWAL

The session also showed another important signal: Andy Diouf, a young player, trained with the national team for the first time. Along with Lucas Da Cunha, also mentioned among the participants, the new staff seems to be deliberately rejuvenating the squad rather than relying only on the golden generation of the 2026 World Cup.

Adding new players in the very first session can be read in two ways. One, Zidane wants to assess the entire talent pool himself, excluding no one in advance. Two, he wants to send a signal that in the new era, starting places are not inherited automatically. Even with only 12 players training, the presence of new names is enough to remind the established players that they still have to prove their value.

Camavinga, Olise, Koundé, and Upamecano are at very good ages. France has one of the best talent pipelines in the world. Looking at the names in that light session, even France's B-team could compete at the European level.

MBAPPÉ, THE ON BRAND, AND THE STORY OFF THE PITCH

We cannot discuss the first session of the Zidane era without mentioning Mbappé. A few days before the session, Mbappé was in Zurich to sign with sports brand ON. This is a personal deal, not directly related to player transfers or club finances. But it placed Mbappé at the center of a carefully staged commercial narrative: sign with a new brand, appear in AS, then give an interview about Zidane with the line “it is like a movie.”

The combination of a commercial event and a national team session is not random. It is a typical example of the convergence between sport and commercial media. From this writer's perspective, we must distinguish: Mbappé signing with ON is a commercial value event, not a sporting signal. His comments about Zidane right after that event are a deliberate media advantage, not a spontaneous statement.

This becomes more meaningful when looking at media coverage. Nearly 100 journalists went to Clairefontaine for a session with 12 players. They could not write about tactics because no tactics were revealed. They would write about the Zidane–Mbappé story, the Platini pitch, the atmosphere, the pats on the shoulder. That session produced no data, but it produced media content.

THE CONTRARIAN VIEW: DO NOT CALL IT FOOTBALL NEWS YET

Looked at coldly, this session has little sporting value. There was no match, no goal, no tactical formation, not even 11 players in a full lineup. Yet it was covered like a historic event. The gap between actual value and media value is exactly what needs to be analyzed.

This is a form of hype early climax: the emotional peak before any competitive evidence. Zidane is one of the biggest legends in football, and Mbappé is the biggest star of French football. Their reunion has immediate appeal. But in sport, reputation is never a substitute for results. What we need to wait for is the four Nations League matches.

According to the analysis material, France will face Turkey on September 25, then Belgium twice, and Italy on October 2 and 5. However, it should be noted that this group configuration shows signs of not matching the official schedule of recent Nations League editions. This is a point that needs verification from authoritative sources. If the actual group is different, the entire preparation timeline must also be reassessed.

Regardless of the opponents, four consecutive international matches in one window are a high-intensity compressed test. Teams that have just changed coaches often have unstable early results. Zidane, with Bettoni's support and his special relationship with Mbappé, may help France adapt faster. But pressure is high. If the first two matches go badly, criticism will quickly fall on the coach who carries so much expectation.

THE MBAPPÉ QUESTION: PILLAR OR BOTTLENECK?

Mbappé is at the peak age of 27, the stage when a player usually reaches full physical and psychological maturity. He is the de facto captain, the public voice of the dressing room, and the only player Zidane has known since childhood. All of that can be an advantage, but also a risk.

If France relies too heavily on Mbappé, every opponent will focus on him. When Mbappé is blocked, the team needs others to shine. Olise showed confidence in tight spaces in the session. Camavinga can control tempo. Koundé and Upamecano give defensive solidity. But these are only potentials, not yet proven under the pressure of an official match.

This writer believes Zidane will not rush to give Mbappé too much responsibility. He understands how to manage big stars from his time with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid. He understands that a team's strength does not come from making one star the only center, but from creating a network around that star. Mbappé needs to be freed, not burdened.

CONTINUITY OR BREAK?

One of the biggest questions of the Zidane era is whether he will create a tactical revolution or merely improve Deschamps's legacy. The answer is visible in how he organized his coaching staff. Keeping David Bettoni beside him shows that he wants a collaborator who understands his thinking, rather than learning to work with new assistants. This is a risk-reduction decision.

Zidane is not a tactical innovator like Pep Guardiola. He is a pragmatist, able to read matches and adapt in each moment. At Real Madrid, his teams did not have a clear pressing identity like Manchester City or Liverpool. Instead, they had extremely fast transitions, solid defense, and the ability to exploit star moments. That style does not depend on controlling possession, but on controlling space.

For France, that style may be suitable. Mbappé is one of the smartest runners in the world. Olise and Camavinga have enough technique to keep the ball under pressure. Koundé and Upamecano are fast enough to cover when the defense pushes high. But to run smoothly, Zidane needs time. Four Nations League matches are too few to build a complete system. Therefore, the most reasonable assessment is to look at the process, not at individual results.

Another notable detail is the presence of new players such as Da Cunha and Diouf while the team still has established players at their peak. This suggests Zidane wants to build a squad with depth, not just rely on a familiar group. That is a positive long-term signal. But it can also create significant competition pressure in the dressing room.

MEDIA AND THE “MOVIE” STORY

Mbappé's line — “It is like a movie, but it is true” — quickly became a headline. It is short, emotional, memorable, and shareable. But precisely because of that, it is also a media trap. If France wins, the “movie” story will be amplified into an epic. If France loses, that same story will be reversed into a farce about people who focused too much on emotion and forgot the actual work.

This is the typical cycle of a big sports story: emotional acceleration, rising expectations, and then a phase of betrayal if results do not follow the script. Both Zidane and Mbappé have enough experience to understand that. They will not let early praise distract them. But fans and the media are less patient.

From a data perspective, this session created no quotable numbers: no pass completion rate, no shots, no pressing index. But it created a story repeated hundreds of times. That is when we need to remember a principle: data does not lie, but it also does not feel pain. The writer must fill the gap between the two with sobriety.

WHY THE FOUR NATIONS LEAGUE MATCHES MATTER

Unlike friendlies, the Nations League is official competition. Even if its value is not equal to a Euro or World Cup, it is the earliest measure of a new reign. For Zidane, the next four matches are not just a chance to earn points; they are the first time the public sees France under his hand in a context with real pressure.

If the opponents are Turkey, Belgium, and Italy, the quality will be very high. These are not weak teams for experimentation. These are teams that can exploit every mistake. Zidane will have to balance testing new players and ensuring results. A good start will give him more room to build the squad over the next two years. A bad start will make everything more complicated, regardless of promises about the future.

Remember that elite football does not reward movie scripts or glorious past. It rewards moves executed at the right time, in the right space, with enough boldness. Zidane was once a master of such moments. But as France head coach, he cannot score goals for his players.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE LONG-TERM QUESTION

From a football governance perspective, appointing Zidane is a symbolic decision with low risk at the moment because it solves the media problem and creates immediate inspiration. However, the long-term risk lies in building a tactical system that can survive independent of inspiration.

Zidane succeeded at Real Madrid in a special environment: a star-studded team, a top league, and a culture that values moments. At national team level, he has less training time, is farther from players, and must deal with fitness issues from congested domestic calendars. This is a different problem from Real Madrid.

Keeping Bettoni beside him may be a way to reduce detailed workload while maintaining a trusted communication channel. But no one can replace Zidane in making important decisions during a match. The first question is not whether Zidane is good, but whether the players understand and believe in what he asks.

A positive point is that the relationship between Mbappé and Zidane can become a bridge between the coach and the dressing room. Reports from the session suggest Mbappé was open, relaxed, and ready to talk. If the team's biggest star is the first to believe in the coach's philosophy, the rest will follow more easily.

TWO YEARS AHEAD AND THE BIG QUESTION

Mbappé mentioned “two years to prepare” — a statement that can be understood as a way to manage expectations, emphasizing that this is a long-term project, not a short-term miracle. This is very wise, because it lowers immediate pressure without abandoning ambition. It also shows that Mbappé and the new staff are coordinating closely in managing the media narrative.

However, looking at the two-year cycle, we must ask: what model will Zidane build for France? A possession team, a transition team, or a flexible team depending on the opponent? History suggests Zidane prefers flexibility over a fixed identity. He may set up deep against a stronger opponent, then play dominantly against a weaker one. That makes analysis harder, but also makes the team harder to predict.

The important thing is that Zidane needs to establish a clear core before major tournaments. The four Nations League games will be the first laboratory. Players given opportunities in this window will have a big advantage in the race for starting places. Those who fail to perform risk being left out of the long-term plan.

OVERALL VIEW

This article does not aim to answer whether Zidane will succeed. No one can answer that before the ball rolls. Its purpose is to place the first session in proper context: a light workout, a symbolic pitch, an emotional story, and a media pressure far exceeding its actual sporting value.

In sport, transition moments are full of the temptation of exaggeration. Fans want to believe a savior has arrived. Media want to sell big stories. Sponsors want to attach their brand to powerful icons. Amid all of that, the writer must keep a cold distance: look at the process, at the data, at what actually happens on the pitch.

Zidane has a rare advantage: he is loved, respected, and given authority before having to prove anything. He also has a special relationship with the most important star. But football is a sport of results. Only the next four matches can tell whether Mbappé's “like a movie” story will have a happy ending or become a curse.

Let the data and the matches speak. Let Zidane work in silence, as he usually does. And now, with nearly 100 journalists surrounding a 12-player session, perhaps we should remember that sport is never won by articles or inspirational quotes. It is won by moments on the pitch and by the ability to endure pressure when things do not go according to the script.

The four Nations League matches will come quickly. After that, the story will truly begin.