In his second match as head coach of the French national team, Zinédine Zidane faces Belgium.
Against the Red Devils, he encounters a coach he has met before during his playing career. “We are up against a team that also has a new coach,” Zidane said at his press conference.
“It’s a quality team that had an excellent run in the World Cup last summer. They have many talented players, so we are aware that it will be a very demanding match.”
Zidane and Mark van Bommel were both remarkable midfielders, each in their own way. “We didn’t really have the same style of play,” Zidane said with a broad smile.
“He was the one who tackled me. But I admired his style. He had a lot of character and personality on the pitch.”
Belgian media are quick to pay tribute: “Mark van Bommel has quickly got the Devils moving.”
With Kylian Mbappé unavailable due to injury from the match against Turkey, Zidane is counting on the leadership of Ousmane Dembélé. The PSG forward will captain the team against Belgium.
“He is my vice-captain. He plays his role even without being officially the captain. You can feel it. He’s a good guy, always ready to help others.”
According to Zidane, Dembélé, who saw his playing time decrease at the start of the season due to injury, is currently at his best level.
“He has an exceptional work ethic. He can easily play 90 minutes; he could even play every match. That doesn’t mean we will do that, but he certainly has the ability.”
