Zinedine Zidane was asked if taking charge of his first France game on Friday will feel just as special as his playing debut for Les Bleus more than 30 years ago.
asserted
taking → ask → Bleus
“Even more so, maybe,” a smiling Zidane said Thursday ahead of a Nations League game at Turkey.
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Zidane → smile → Turkey
“I feel an immense emotion being at the head of this France team.”
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I → feel → team
Zidane’s dream was realized when he replaced Didier Deschamps after the World Cup.
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he → realize → Cup
His former teammate Deschamps was in charge for 14 years, winning the World Cup in 2018 and losing the 2022 final.
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Deschamps → win → final
Now it’s Zidane’s chance to make his mark on a team he once starred for.
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he → ’ → team
Affectionately nicknamed “Zizou,” his face was beamed onto the Arc de Triomphe in Paris the night France celebrated its first World Cup triumph in 1998.
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France → nickname → 1998
Zidane scored two headers in the final in a 3-0 win over Brazil and later that year he won the Ballon d’Or.
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he → score → d’Or
Two years later, he was instrumental in France winning the European Championship.
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France → win → Championship
His rise to the top seemed almost fated, for his international career began brilliantly in 1994 with two stunning goals against the Czech Republic after coming on as a substitute.
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career → seem → substitute
He then won league titles with Juventus and Real Madrid and scored a brilliant volley to help Madrid win the Champions League in 2002.
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Madrid → win → 2002
Zidane understands expectations are high, given his achievements as a player and how he led Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles as a coach.
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he → understand → coach
“It’s something new.
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It → ’ → ?
I’m taking over as head coach so people are talking about it,” he said.
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he → take → it
“That makes sense.”
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That → make → sense
After facing Turkey, France plays Belgium away Monday before hosting Italy on Oct. 2 and Belgium three days later, with both those games at Stade de France.
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France → face → France
France’s all-time top scorer Kylian Mbappé is set to captain the side against Turkey at Kocaeli Stadium stadium in İzmit, having shrugged off a minor injury.
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Mbappé → set → injury
Zidane was asked why, given that Mbappé is captain, he was not present at Thursday’s pre-match news conference.
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he → ask → conference
Instead, it was midfielder Adrien Rabiot who spoke to the media.
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who → speak → media
“The obligation is to have one player and the coach,” Zidane said.
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Zidane → have → player
He will be ready to play tomorrow.”
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He → play → ?
Striker Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), defenders Leny Yoro (Manchester United) and Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool), midfielder Lucas Da Cunha (Como), Andy Diouf (Inter Milan) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) are set for their debuts.
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Lepaul → set → debuts
“I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far.
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I → ’m → what
The French team is open to everyone,” the 54-year-old Zidane said.
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Zidane → say → everyone
“We’ve got a good squad, some veterans, some newcomers.”
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We → get → squad
Zidane’s aura overshadows players
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aura → overshadow → players
Rabiot said the huge attention placed on Zidane gave the players a welcome back seat.
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attention → say → seat
“His aura means he commands a lot of attention,” Rabiot said.
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Rabiot → mean → attention
“In a way, it’s a good thing that the focus is more on the coach than the players.
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focus → ’ → players
It gives them a bit more peace and quiet.”
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It → give → peace
Zidane understands the limelight but does not seek it.
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Zidane → understand → it
“You have to accept how things are.
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things → have → ?
But I’m not here for that,” he said.
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he → ’m → that
“Winning matches is what interests me the most.”
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what → win → me
The Aporia
