Football

Zinédine Zidane leads his first training session with the Blues

Zinédine Zidane conducted his first session at Clairefontaine with twelve players present, in a calm and attentive atmosphere.

22 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Zinédine Zidane leads his first training session with the Blues — Photo: hywell · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

On Monday, at Clairefontaine, Zinédine Zidane conducted his first training session as head coach of the French national team. Twelve players were present on the Platini pitch, where the atmosphere was particularly calm according to reported observations.

Defender Dayot Upamecano commented on Zidane's technical level, noting that he still possesses impressive skills. The players seemed to enjoy the session, highlighting their new coach's expertise and natural talent.

Among the participants in the training, some chose understated outfits, while others, like Jules Koundé, Manu Koné, and Ibrahima Konaté, paid attention to their appearance upon arrival.

Archive photo: Zinédine Zidane leads his first training session with the Blues — Archive photoPhoto: bekhap · Flickr · BY

This first day was not limited to training alone. Zidane, accompanied by his goalkeeper coach Fabien Barthez, got to know his squad, marking a special moment for the Blues, who have fond memories of the World Cup champions of 1998.

During the session, Zidane had the opportunity to showcase his talent by delivering quality passes during drills, engaging the players and offering them encouragement. The players experienced this first meeting under the watchful eyes of cameras, capturing the exchanges and the overall atmosphere.

On Tuesday, Zinédine Zidane attended a training session for the Under-21s at the National Football Centre in Clairefontaine, continuing to familiarize himself with his new role in French football.

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