Zidane's start as France coach: tactics and Mbappé's new role

“But we won't overdo it either” – this sentence comes from Zinédine Zidane's official introduction as France's new national coach on July 28, when the 54-year-old was asked about his future playing philosophy with possibly four strikers.

In the first three games with the “Équipe Tricolore” in the Nations League, the former Real Madrid coach lined up his team in a 4-3-3 formation, which was already his preferred system in the Spanish capital. The result was two 1-0 wins in Turkey and Belgium and a 1-1 draw against Italy. In attack, Didier Deschamps' successor implemented what he had indicated to the media: "All players act in their favorite position."

Bayern's Michael Olise is given a lot of freedom by the French coaching staff as a right winger, plus Ousmane Dembélé as a center forward - the position that he also likes to take on at his employer Paris Saint-Germain. The appointment of Zidane as coach of the “Équipe Tricolore” primarily reflects the desire to once again offer the regular players optimal conditions for success.

At the heart of this project, the positioning of Kylian Mbappé in particular seems to be the first cornerstone. In contrast to the recent experiments in which he was temporarily used as a striker, the new coach of the “Bleu” plans to position him on the left wing again. The top scorer from the last World Cup was in exactly this position when Zidane took over as coach in Turkey before he injured his knee and had to leave early.

Zidane's goal in the next few months: to give the French captain the space he needs to fully exploit his speed and ability to outplay opponents. Looking back, the Real Madrid striker celebrated his greatest successes in this position - such as winning the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Zidane's position message

"Of all people, putting Mbappé, the most important player in our national team, back on the left wing, even though he played at the forefront both at Real and under Deschamps, is a certain risk - but 'Zizou' has always been courageous," France's former international Robert Pirès analyzed on the pay-TV channel Canal+.

Mbappé, who is free on the left side, requires perfect defensive protection behind him. Two newcomers come into play: Andy Diouf and Adrien Truffert. Since the start of the season, Diouf has been needed at Inter Milan as a right-wing player, but in Zidane's eyes he could be the ideal solution for the left-back position.

The new coaching staff wants to ensure that the French national team is not overrun in opposing transition phases, such as at the last World Cup and especially the elimination against Spain (0-2) in the semi-finals. The same applies to Truffert, who has flourished under coach Marco Rose at Bournemouth since the start of the season.

Zidane's natural authority

Beyond names and positions, Zidane wants to convey his very own work philosophy: those who have followed his career as a coach emphasize that his greatest strength remains humility.

The first tactical decisions as national coach show a man who leaves nothing to chance. By relying on proven regulars and incorporating versatile players, he is shaping a successful and disciplined French national team.

“‘Zizou’ has always been a meticulous worker who is very hard-working and does everything to make every player feel comfortable,” analyzes former French international Youri Djorkaeff in an interview with the F.A.Z.