Saint-Denis will stage a France–Italy meeting loaded with echoes of Zinedine Zidane’s career on Friday, as the new France coach takes charge of the national team on home soil for the first time.
The match at the Stade de France follows Zidane’s opening two fixtures as France manager, played in Turkey and Belgium. His first appearance in the dugout in the Parisian suburb comes at the stadium most closely associated with his greatest international night: France’s 3-0 World Cup final win over Brazil in 1998, when Zidane scored the opening two goals.
Italy provide another pointed connection. They were the opponents for Zidane’s final match as a professional, the 2006 World Cup final in Germany, remembered for his dismissal after the headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
Spanish team appointed for Saint-Denis
UEFA has selected Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano to oversee the fixture. The Extremaduran official will be assisted by Guadalupe Porras and Raúl Cabañero, with Juan Martínez Munuera appointed fourth official.
Valentín Pizarro will operate as video assistant referee, while Guillermo Cuadra Fernández has been named assistant VAR.
Gil Manzano has refereed France four times, producing three French wins and one defeat. His most recent France assignment came at the last European Championship, where France beat Austria 1-0 in the group stage.
The sole defeat in that sequence was Germany’s 2-0 friendly victory in France in March 2024. He has previously taken charge of France at the Stade de France as well, handling their 4-1 win against Albania in September 2019 during qualifying for Euro 2020.
For Italy, Friday will be Gil Manzano’s third senior international appointment. The Azzurri have recorded one victory and one defeat in his previous two matches; his latest game involving Italy was their goalless draw away to Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying.
