Luis Enrique validates Zinédine Zidane's rise to the head of the Bleus

Like all his Ligue 1 colleagues, Luis Enrique, PSG coach, had to get used to the three‑week international break. He used it to watch the first matches of the France national team under the direction of Zinedine Zidane, the new manager of the Bleus.

Pressure and analysis of Luis Enrique

At a press conference, the day before the match against Le Mans, Luis Enrique was first asked about Ousmane Dembélé's performances for the national team. He said: “For me, he was brilliant, as usual, he is always willing to show himself, to strike, to play with his teammates. I think he was very good.”

The Spanish coach noted that Dembélé played in the centre of the Bleus, a position reminiscent of the one he occupies at PSG. Some observers even pointed out that Zidane seemed to be adopting playing principles from the double European champions.

When asked about this analogy, Luis Enrique simply replied “I don’t know”. He nevertheless expressed his appreciation of the team’s early appearances under Zidane.

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“When I saw the first matches of the France team, the ideas to win, the ball, pressing, being a real team…”, enumerated the Asturian, visibly convinced. This comment shows his enthusiasm for Zidane’s project.

He added that the manager’s job is difficult, because the training and connection time between players is limited, while the analysis time is more abundant. “It’s a difficulty when you are a manager, but the level of the called‑up players has been very positive,” Luis Enrique concluded.

In conclusion, Luis Enrique believes that the first matches under Zidane provide a solid foundation for the Bleus, despite the limited collective training time. He hopes this momentum will translate into the upcoming international matches.