Zinedine Zidane has begun his tenure as France head coach with a promising run of three wins and a draw in the Nations League. This positive start, capped by a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Belgium at the Stade de France on 5 October, has delighted the nation's 1998 World Cup-winning heroes.

Frank Leboeuf, speaking at former teammate Robert Pires's jubilee event in Metz, shared his enthusiasm. "I'm not disappointed, I'm even full of joy because it's what I expected," he said. For him, the country is living a long-held fantasy with Zidane's appointment. Vincent Candela, another member of the golden generation, echoed the sentiment. "It's not a dream, it's reality. He's good, he's in place," he stated.

A style taking shape

During his first fourteen-day gathering, Zidane immediately stamped his authority. His team displayed a style based on pressing, possession and forward projection, an approach sometimes compared to Luis Enrique's at PSG. The results followed: after a 1-1 draw with Italy on 2 October, Les Bleus secured a 1-0 win in Belgium and then the emphatic home victory over the same opponents. The last defeat was on 18 July against England (4-6), with the recent form reading three wins, one draw and one loss from the last five matches.

The former players see the legacy of their generation in the squad list. They believe Zidane, without a club since May 2021 and appointed on 28 July, is the ideal person to carry that legacy into future major tournaments. Euro 2028 is viewed as the first major milestone to fully judge his work, ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

Looking ahead

For now, France's schedule continues with an away trip to Italy scheduled for 12 November, a significant fixture after the international break. Supporters can check the full schedule on our fixtures page.

The attacking output at the start of this cycle is encouraging, highlighted by a Michael Olise brace and goals from Rayan Cherki and Desire Doue in the latest win. Kylian Mbappe remains the top scorer this season with ten goals in eight appearances, a detail available in our stats. The squad appears to have rediscovered its enjoyment on the pitch and a certain serenity, key ingredients for the challenges ahead. Zidane's next squad list will be announced in a few weeks, ahead of the trip to Rome.

Background and full detail: RMC Sport Football