Zidane bans fashion shows to create a football bubble at Clairefontaine
Zinédine Zidane, appointed France’s head coach this summer, has ordered the removal of the traditional blue carpet and dozens of cameras at Clairefontaine, insisting the national team operate inside a ‘football bubble’ rather than a fashion show for the media. Only three federation cameras recorded the arrival of the 23 squad members.
From runway to restraint
The blue carpet that once stretched across the entrance of the Montjoye castle in Clairefontaine vanished on Monday morning. It had hosted increasingly extravagant parades, often led by ‘fashion king’ Jules Koundé, where players paused to pose for dozens of photo and television cameras. Evening broadcasts turned into contests for the best‑dressed player. With the carpet and the cameras removed, the media are no longer welcome on the pitch.
Zidane has also rewritten press‑conference protocol. From now on each journalist may ask only a single question, and no player will accompany the coach at the podium. Interviews inside Clairefontaine are banned, and the only interaction after training will be a mixed zone where groups of reporters can address a player together. Edwin Winkels, Correspondent, highlighted that the new format limits individual access to the squad.
‘I am not advocating modesty, everyone may come as they wish,’ Zidane stressed. He wants Clairefontaine, which he likened to the French ‘Zeist’, to become a fortified bubble where players think solely about football. The media, he warned, will have to adapt to the new environment.
Zidane enjoys daily freedom in Madrid that France no longer grants him
Avoiding Domenech’s isolation
Veteran analyst Jean Resseguié of RMC cautioned Zidane not to repeat the isolation that plagued former coach Raymond Domenech. Domenech, who led France at the 2010 World Cup, saw the team exit in the group stage after a media‑driven atmosphere. Resseguié warned that shunning media obligations could provoke irritation among those eager for information.
Zidane’s first test arrives on Friday evening when France face Turkey. The encounter will be his inaugural match as head coach, offering the first glimpse of how his ‘football bubble’ operates under competitive pressure.
The 54‑year‑old brings a glittering résumé, having overseen five largely successful seasons at Real Madrid, winning nine trophies including three Champions Leagues. He signed a four‑year contract with the French federation and will continue to reside in his Madrid home in the upscale Conde de Orgaz, travelling regularly to France for training camps.
Zidane steps in as France boss while neighbours appoint Xavi and Klopp
His appointment feels like a lost child’s return, exactly twenty years after he played his final match for France in the 2006 World Cup final in Germany, which ended with a head‑butt and a red card as France fell to Italy. With only two foreign coaches in French history – José Arribas and Stefan Kovacs – Zidane is the sole French candidate to potentially restore the nation to European or world glory after 2018.