Zinedine Zidane led the France national football team in a public training session at Clairefontaine on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, attracting nearly 300 supporters. The event marked one of the first public appearances for the former World Cup winner since taking over as head coach of Les Bleus, taking charge of squad preparation at the Fernand Sastre National Football Centre in the Yvelines department near Paris.
While open national team training sessions typically feature excited children eager to watch their favorite football stars, Tuesday was dominated by fathers in their 40s watching the sporting hero of their adolescence. Dressed in official France national team tracksuits, Zidane directed squad drills on the pitch, creating a distinct atmosphere among older supporters who grew up during the peak of his playing career.
Among the spectators at the touchline was Stephane, a 44-year-old father who traveled from the nearby town of Dourdan wearing a 1998 France shirt printed with Zidane's iconic number 10. He attended the session alongside his five-year-old son, Esteban, having explained to the young boy that the new national team coach was his childhood hero. Stephane recalled that Zidane represented his childhood and adolescence, noting that he remembered France's 1998 World Cup victory as clearly as if it happened yesterday. He expressed immense pride and happiness at seeing Zidane head the national team, though he admitted that he still found it hard to fully comprehend without watching the manager actively at work on the pitch.
Young Esteban was pleased to discover the renowned football figure, despite feeling slightly upset about missing his favorite player. The five-year-old had hoped to see France captain Kylian Mbappe, but the forward was forced to pull out of the training session at the last minute due to illness. Several other young fans shared that disappointment during an autograph session organized prior to training, repeatedly inquiring about the arrival of the top goalscorer in World Cup history. In Mbappe's absence, Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembele emerged as the crowd favorite, drawing smiles from the winger as fans called out for him to win the Ballon d'Or.
Zidane indulged in a brief interaction with the crowd at the conclusion of the session, but he deliberately abstained from participating alongside his players during the 30-minute autograph and photograph session beforehand. The head coach waited until the final moment to enter the pitch, stepping out only when the entire squad was fully prepared to begin training. That decision was intended to keep the focus on the players rather than drawing attention to himself, as observers acknowledged that the national team now features a manager who commands an equal level of adoration as its most prominent stars.
Supporters and Squad Welcome New Leadership
Francois, a supporter in his 30s wearing a recent France jersey featuring Mbappe's number 10, observed that Zidane possesses a legendary aura that sets him apart from anyone else in modern football. Although Francois was too young to remember the 1998 World Cup triumph, he retained bitter memories of France's defeat against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin. He recalled crying as a youngster after purchasing fireworks that he was ultimately unable to light following the match. Despite later celebrating France's 2018 World Cup title in Russia, Francois called the former playmaker an absolute benchmark. He noted that Zidane won the Ballon d'Or in 1998 as well as Champions League titles as both a player and a manager with Real Madrid, giving him natural authority inside the dressing room.
That natural authority was evident on the pitch as fans in the stands began chanting Zidane's nickname, Zizou, throughout the session. Spectators watched closely as the head coach steered drills alongside his long-time assistant coach, David Bettoni. When the players divided into small-sided games, onlookers felt that every fan in attendance wanted to see the manager join in as a fifth player. Even brief touches of the ball by Zidane generated enthusiasm from the crowd, with Stephane remarking that although everyone anticipated Zidane would eventually manage France, seeing him in the role still felt unreal.
Zidane had also impressed onlookers during Monday's training session under media observation, delivering precise crosses for shooting practice at the end of the day. Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano joked after leaving the pitch that all the players grew up admiring Zidane, adding that the coach demonstrated refined ball skills that current players would find difficult to replicate. Attacker Esteban Lepaul similarly expressed his delight during a Tuesday morning press conference, asking what could be better for a player than receiving passes from Zidane during goalscoring drills. Lepaul connected with several sharp volleys that earned praise from the head coach, while defender Maxence Lacroix highlighted his pride at being managed by a figure of such pedigree.
Tactical Shift Focuses on Immediate Ball Work
The initial days of Zidane's tenure have highlighted a clear shift in training philosophy, prioritizing technical work with the ball over traditional physical recovery. Under former head coach Didier Deschamps, who ended a 14-year tenure that included guiding France to victory at the 2018 World Cup, Monday sessions typically centered on light running exercises designed to flush out fatigue from weekend club matches and travel to Clairefontaine. In contrast, Zidane and Bettoni introduced technical workshops and small-sided games from the moment players stepped onto the field.
That ball-oriented approach continued on Tuesday, with players remaining continuously active with the ball while coaching staff urged them to combine at a faster pace. International squad newcomers, led by Lucas Da Cunha and Esteban Lepaul, quickly adapted to the tempo set by experienced teammates. Reflecting on the change from the stands, Francois noted that reaching the end of a coaching cycle after 14 years under Deschamps was a natural evolution. He added that the squad needed a fresh perspective and that Zidane's appointment arrived at the ideal moment to bring new energy, tactical freshness, and new talent to the French national team.
