Why Zinedine Zidane's First Home Game as France Coach Comes Against Italy
Summary: Zinedine Zidane takes charge of France at the Stade de France for the first time against Italy, the team he headbutted in the 2006 World Cup final, with Nations League Group A1 positioning on the line.
Zinedine Zidane has opened his France tenure with two away wins, both by 1-0, against Türkiye and Belgium. Now he gets a home game, and the opponent is the one that always follows him around: Italy.
The 2006 World Cup final in Berlin ended with Zidane sent off for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi deep in extra time. Two decades on, ESPN reports, France's coach will face that same rival at the Stade de France in a UEFA Nations League Group A1 match.
A squad still taking shape
France will be without Kylian Mbappé through injury, leaving Ousmane Dembélé to captain the side again, according to ESPN. Zidane's first two matches produced clean sheets and single goals, but this is the first chance for a home crowd to see whether the team can open up under its new coach.
Italy arrive with their own rebuilding project. Roberto Mancini's return as coach started with a 2-0 home loss to Belgium, then a 4-1 win in Türkiye restored some optimism. Mancini called up 33 players for the international break, but after losing forward Giacomo Raspadori to injury, he left nine others at home, leaving a squad that is still finding its balance.
A close group and a closer rivalry
Recent meetings between the two sides have been tight. When France last hosted Italy in Paris, they won 3-1, and Italy answered with a 3-1 win in the return fixture. Syracuse.com notes that both teams are chasing position atop a tightly contested group.
France hold the early advantage after winning their opening two games. A win for Italy would move them level on points, turning Friday's encounter into a genuine early test of Zidane's ambitions.
The match is scheduled for 8:45 pm local time at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, which is 18:45 GMT, according to Al Jazeera. For viewers in the United States, Syracuse.com reports coverage starts at 2:45 pm ET on FS1, with a free stream available through DIRECTV.
Zidane's playing career against Italy ended in the most dramatic way football permits. His coaching career against them starts at home, with a win that would put France in full control of the group and give his new era its first defining result.