Everyone was eagerly awaiting Zinedine Zidane's first two weeks at the helm of the France national team after 14 years under the leadership of Didier Deschamps, and the new coach succeeded in passing the period of international matches without any defeat in the European Nations League, with some signs of hope.
The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner became the first France coach to win his first match since Aime Jacquet in 1994, with a 1-0 victory over Turkey, and the first coach to be undefeated in his first four matches since Raymond Domenech in 2004.
After a difficult victory over Türkiye, France defeated Belgium twice and tied 1-1 with Italy on Friday, in Zidane's first home match as coach.
Zidane said in a press conference yesterday, Monday: “We were very good in our matches, although we can always perform better.”
He added: “We achieved this over the course of 15 days, in the first international gathering. This is encouraging and I am very optimistic about what comes next. “We worked really well, and it was important that we put in a real effort over the course of 15 days.”
France suffered from the same problems in its four matches, as it imposed great control, with an average possession rate of 62 percent, but with very few chances created, and a lack of effectiveness in the final third of the field.
Zidane said: “Even if everything we did in the first half did not deserve to be excluded, we lacked effectiveness in the last 30 metres, which also failed us in the previous three matches.”
France played without its captain, Kylian Mbappe, in the last three matches after he was injured after scoring the winning goal against Türkiye, and did not score any goals in the first half during the last eight matches.
But coach Zidane's team showed a strong character, as Michael Olise scored the winning goal in the last moments in Belgium, and substitutes Desiree Doue, Rayyan Chergui and Olisse turned the second match against Belgium upside down in the last 15 minutes.
Zidane said: “I am happy with the reaction of the whole team, and by ending this break in a very good way, I think we deserve this given everything we gave.”
Zidane changed his squad from one match to another, and gave six players the opportunity to make their debut with France: Guillaume Rest, Jeremy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, Lucas da Cunha, Esteban Lipole, and Lenny Euro.
Zidane said: “This was planned during this international break. We played four matches in 15 days, and the players only recently started their season. "And I wanted to see everyone."
Liverpool defender Jacquet and Como midfielder Da Cunha were among the players who emerged as promising elements for the future, while Ousmane Dembélé struggled, and last year's Ballon d'Or winner was unable to leave an impact, whether as a striker or on the right wing.
Oliseh was the team's attacking leader, scoring four goals and providing two assists in four matches.
“What he is doing is simply extraordinary,” Zidane said.
France visits Italy before hosting Türkiye next month, for a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
