From Amsterdam to Montevideo, the international window has offered a first look at a fresh group of national-team coaches, several of them returning to the game from very different paths. Former greats have stepped into familiar colours, while established managers have begun new work beyond the club calendar. The early results are not verdicts, but they have supplied a few clear directions.
Xavi Hernández has taken charge of the Netherlands, calling the Dutch federation “the university of football” when he was unveiled. His first matches have tested that idea immediately. A 1-1 Nations League draw with Germany opened the campaign, followed by two wins against Serbia and a hard-earned draw away to Greece after the Netherlands had fallen 2-0 behind. The Dutch have finished the break level with Greece at the top, with their possession-focused and attacking approach receiving a warm response at home.
On the opposite touchline for that opening match was Jürgen Klopp, back in management with Germany after two seasons away following his Liverpool departure. His return has been less settled: Germany beat Serbia, drew with both Greece and the Netherlands, and also suffered a narrow defeat to Greece. It is a modest beginning for a coach with a formidable club record, and leaves Germany with work to do before the next gathering.
France find an early rhythm under Zidane
Zinedine Zidane’s start with France has been more efficient than flamboyant. The former World Cup winner has replaced Didier Deschamps after 14 seasons in the job and has overseen three victories and a draw with Italy. Two of those wins came by a single goal, while France recovered late to beat Belgium 4-1, turning the match around in the final ten minutes.
Michael Olise’s excellent form has helped smooth Zidane’s first days in the role. France have looked capable of winning in different ways, even if the four-match sample remains a small one for a side beginning life after such a long managerial era.
New chapters across the Atlantic and in Asia
Diego Forlán has inherited Uruguay after Marcelo Bielsa’s dismissal following a poor World Cup. The change began with a 3-1 defeat to Japan, but the response was emphatic. Uruguay then beat Robert Moreno’s South Korea 4-1 and defeated India 6-1, suggesting an immediate shift in mood around the Charrúas.
Moreno, meanwhile, has made his own start with South Korea. His side have won against Ecuador and Uzbekistan, drawn with Venezuela and lost to Uruguay. The meeting with Forlán’s new Uruguay was therefore one of several early intersections between coaches trying to establish new national identities during the same window.
Rafa Márquez has moved from Mexico’s coaching staff into the leading role after the World Cup, but his first four fixtures have brought no victory. Mexico lost to Chile and the United States, while drawing with Peru and Colombia. The run has prompted considerable uncertainty around a project that has yet to find a decisive result.
For Xavi, Zidane, Forlán, Márquez, Klopp and Moreno, the next international dates will carry more weight than these opening games. Yet the first weekend has already made the continental picture clearer: the Netherlands have momentum, France have results, Uruguay have reacted strongly, and Germany and Mexico remain in search of firmer ground.
