Outside the French Football Federation headquarters on Friday evening, the noise rose quickly when Zinédine Zidane stepped out to meet supporters. Two months into his tenure as France coach, the former World Cup winner continues to draw a crowd wherever he appears.
The Ligue 1 news
Zidane had just completed his second press conference as head coach of Les Bleus when dozens of fans gathered outside the FFF offices hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
At 7.25pm, one supporter named Antoine was still struggling to process the encounter after seeing Zidane only minutes earlier. Others shouted that they had seen “the GOAT”, while phones and cameras were raised across the crowd.
The new France manager spent a little more than five minutes with those waiting outside. The brief appearance created a rush of excitement, with supporters singing, calling out his name and trying to secure photographs.
One teenager, having obtained a selfie with the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner, declared that he had “made it in life”. A laughing older fan wondered whether Didier Deschamps would have received the same reception.
The reaction echoed Zidane’s presentation in late July, when supporters had also waited for him outside the federation’s headquarters. The fascination around one of French football’s most recognisable figures has not diminished since his appointment.
