Under the lights of a first camp led by Zinédine Zidane, France closed with a statement: a 4-1 win over Belgium on Monday. The scoreline gave the new head coach a strong final image after an opening sequence that has already put points on the board in the Nations League.
The move
Zidane’s first spell in charge of Les Bleus has produced three wins and one draw from four matches, bringing France 10 points in the Nations League.
The early return is positive on results alone, with the victory over Belgium completing the first gathering in convincing fashion. Zidane has also been assessed on two broader measures: his communication since taking the job and the style of play shown by his team.
Those three areas — public messaging, football on the pitch and results — form the basis of the initial verdict on the new France manager’s first camp.
The French season around it
France’s Nations League start has given Zidane a solid platform. Ten points from four fixtures leaves the coach with an unbeaten opening run, while the four-goal display against Belgium offered the clearest result of the camp.
The test for Zidane now is to turn that promising introduction into a sustained identity, both in the way France play and in the consistency of their results.
