Zidane unbeaten after first four matches as France head coach
Zinedine Zidane remains unbeaten after his first four matches as France head coach, with three victories and one draw marking an encouraging opening to his tenure. The former France and Real Madrid great has received a warm reception at the Stade de France, where supporters have sung his name as the side has produced a more expansive brand of football.
Why Zidane’s start matters for France
| Category | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches under Zidane | 4 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Defeats | 0 |
The early results have heightened excitement around a France squad already blessed with considerable depth and elite-level players. Zidane’s arrival has also brought renewed attention to the team’s attacking football, but Robert Pires has urged observers not to let enthusiasm for the new manager diminish Didier Deschamps’ contribution.
Speaking at his jubilee event in Metz, Pires said Zidane’s stature as both a player and coach was beyond question, noting the trophies he won while in charge of Real Madrid. Yet the former Arsenal midfielder argued that Deschamps’ long spell with the national side must remain central to any assessment of France’s current strength.
“Zidane is among the greatest footballers the game has known, and he has shown his quality as a coach through the titles he won at Real Madrid,” Pires said. “But Didier Deschamps’ work over so many years cannot be forgotten. This is a fresh phase, the football is enjoyable, and the players are outstanding. Everyone can see that.”
Deschamps’ role in France’s revival
Deschamps established himself as a manager capable of delivering major success, although his more cautious approach was periodically criticised when set against the freer style now associated with Zidane’s early matches.
Pires stressed that the achievements of Deschamps should be viewed in the wider context of France’s recovery after the 2010 World Cup, when the side exited in the group stage. He said members of the country’s 1998 World Cup-winning generation had played an important part in rebuilding the national programme.
“France have an excellent coach,” Pires added. “Whether it is Zizou, Didier or Lolo, Laurent Blanc, it makes the 1998 group proud to see one of us leading the national team.”
France now enter Zidane’s next phase with momentum, a settled pool of high-level talent and the ambition to remain among international football’s leading sides.
