Zidane pushes Farid Tabet and Clément Ybert to work until dawn
In the darkness of the Clairefontaine office, the lamp at Farid Tabet's workstation remains on while the corridors empty. The French players leave the pitches, but the staff's work continues well after sunset.
Night video analysis
According to Le Parisien, the light in Farid Tabet's and Clément Ybert's office often stays on late into the night. The two video analysts must respond to the numerous requests from the manager and his staff. Their mission is to dissect opponents, isolate their weak points, and prepare the footage used during meetings with the players.
They do not work alone. David Bettoni, longtime right-hand man of Zinédine Zidane, along with Philippe Planque and Hamidou Msaidie also devote a great amount of time to analysis. This synergy allows every tactical aspect to be covered with extreme precision.
Short sessions, precise work
The organization thus set up allows the manager to propose sessions that are generally short but extremely precise. The exercises aim to correct positioning or to circumvent the opponents' plans. Every detail is studied in order to optimise performance on the pitch.
Zidane wants to anticipate everything, a detail obsession that reveals a lesser‑known side of the coach. Behind his apparent calm, he is demanding, meticulous and sometimes hard to satisfy. He even lost his voice at Clairefontaine from repeatedly giving certain instructions when the exercises did not meet his expectations.
The players mainly see the final result, but it rests on many hours of almost invisible preparation. Zidane has long favoured short, targeted messages directly linked to the pitch. This approach strengthens the clarity of instructions and the players' responsiveness.
The first three wins of Zidane's era established a positive momentum and considerably raised expectations. To maintain this edge, the manager appears ready to intensively rely on the two men tasked with illuminating his decisions. Their night work thus becomes a discreet yet essential pillar of the French team's success.