Zinedine Zidane walked back into the Stade de France on Thursday with Italy waiting on the other side of the night. More than two decades after his last appearance there as a player, France’s head coach returned to the ground before Friday’s Nations League meeting with the Italians, a fixture carrying a heavy weight of memory for the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner.
France will face Italy at 20:45 in a sold-out stadium, four days after a 1-0 victory away to Belgium revived hopes around the national side. The occasion has also drawn particular attention because Zidane is now in charge, and supporters outside the ground on Thursday accepted that demand had pushed Category 1 tickets to €145.
“It is Zidane, after all,” said one supporter as fans discussed the prices before the coach’s press conference.
A stadium filled with Zidane memories
The Stade de France has shaped some of the defining moments of Zidane’s career. He scored the first goal in the stadium’s inaugural match, a 1-0 win over Spain on 28 January 1998. Less than six months later, on 12 July, he won the World Cup there with France.
Back at the venue as national-team manager, Zidane admitted the return had affected him. “It is a great emotion,” he said. “It will be even stronger tomorrow with the crowd. We are ready for this game and we have prepared well.”
Italy, however, also brings back the less welcome images of the 2006 World Cup final, when Zidane was sent off after headbutting Marco Materazzi. Asked about that moment, he showed a trace of irritation at its enduring place in the public imagination.
“The pictures always bring it back because they are shown everywhere on repeat,” Zidane said, his voice reportedly rough after shouting from the touchline during France’s first two matches under him. “Fortunately, that was not the only thing I did. There are positive images too.”
First training session as France coach at the Stade de France
After speaking to almost 100 journalists, Zidane quickly made his way from the auditorium to the pitch, where assistant David Bettoni and fitness coach Grégory Dupont were waiting. France’s 22 players stood near the tunnel before joining the staff for preparations for the Italy match.
During the session, Zidane frequently kept a ball tucked beneath his arm while observing his squad. When players paused for water, he was also seen putting loose pieces of turf back into place.
The former midfielder has been encouraged by the response from his players since taking over. “Everyone has impressed me, especially their work ethic and their willingness to listen,” he said. “This is a group that is living well together. For a coach, that is priceless.”
He closed with a message shaped by both his past and France’s present. “This stadium is special to us. We simply want to keep writing our story with the France team.”
