Zinedine Zidane prepares for his first home match as France coach against Italy, 20 years after his infamous World Cup final clash with Marco Materazzi.
Web Desk: Zinedine Zidane will make his first home appearance as France coach against Italy on Friday, returning to the Stade de France more than 20 years after his dramatic final match as a player ended with a red card against the same opponents.
The UEFA Nations League meeting will be an emotional homecoming for Zidane, who was appointed France coach in July after Didier Deschamps stepped down following 14 years in charge.
Zidane has already guided France to two narrow victories in his opening matches, beating Türkiye 1-0 and Belgium 1-0 away from home.
Zidane Reflects on 2006 Final
The fixture brings Zidane back into the spotlight because of his infamous confrontation with Italy defender Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin.
Zidane was sent off in extra time after headbutting Materazzi in the chest. Italy subsequently won the final on penalties, in what became Zidane’s final appearance as a professional player.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s match, Zidane said he does not regret the incident, describing it as part of his career while acknowledging that it was not something he was proud of.
He also said he has not spoken to Materazzi since the night of the 2006 final.
Emotional Return to Stade de France
The match will be Zidane’s first competitive appearance as France coach at the national stadium.
The 54-year-old last appeared at the Stade de France as a player in a 2006 friendly against Mexico, shortly before the World Cup in Germany. Friday’s match is expected to be played in front of a crowd of close to 80,000 spectators.
Zidane said the occasion would be emotional as he returns to a stadium where he built much of his legacy with the French national team.
France Without Mbappe
France will again be without captain Kylian Mbappe, who returned to Real Madrid after suffering a knee injury while scoring the winning goal against Türkiye.
Mbappe’s absence adds to the challenge for Zidane as he continues to assess his squad during a congested Nations League schedule.
Michael Olise has also emerged as an important attacking figure under Zidane. The Bayern Munich forward scored the late winner against Belgium after also contributing to France’s opening victory over Türkiye.
Dembele Dismisses Mbappe Tension
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has also addressed speculation surrounding his relationship with Mbappe.
Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or last year, said there was no problem between the two players following comments about their respective careers and the award.
He described the dispute as a social-media issue and said the two players had spoken about it.
Italy Looking to Challenge France
Italy enter the match as another major test for Zidane’s new-look France side.
The two-time world champions have already collected two victories under their new coach, while Friday’s fixture gives Zidane his first opportunity to lead France in front of a home crowd.
The match is scheduled for October 2 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, with kick-off at 8:45pm local time.
The occasion will combine a Nations League fixture with a significant chapter in Zidane’s football history, as he faces the country against which his playing career ended on the biggest stage.
