Zinedine Zidane puts all on Cherki for the first Turkish encounter

Zinedine Zidane, the new manager of the France team, set the tone of his tenure during the first match in Turkey, as part of the Nations League, by fielding Rayan Cherki in midfield, a decision that breaks with Didier Deschamps' choices.

A bold tactical break

At the heart of a very ambitious 4‑3‑3, Zinedine Zidane installed a midfield trio composed of Rayan Cherki, Adrien Rabiot and Manu Koné placed in a deep‑lying role. This configuration clearly shows the style of play the new manager wants to impose on France. By giving Cherki the role of a link‑up player, Zidane hopes to exploit his creative qualities while imposing a new requirement on him in defence.

The decision to start Cherki represents a complete break with Didier Deschamps, who never considered the former Lyon player as a potential starter. The Rabiot‑Kon duo forms the heart of the midfield, while the young winger enjoys space to flourish with the ball at his feet in the creative zones he loves.

A reinvented attack

The attack also takes a spectacular turn: Kylian Mbappé is repositioned on the left wing, Ousmane Dembélé occupies the central role and Michael Olise completes the right side. The formation moves away from the 4‑2‑3‑1 of the late Deschamps era to adopt a resolutely offensive 4‑3‑3, promising to push the game forward.

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Didier Deschamps, always concerned with defensive discipline, had been put off by the inconsistency of the “Citizen” and criticised his lack of defensive guarantees. The climax of this disenchantment was reached during the third‑place match in Miami on July 18, when France fell 4‑6 to England, with Cherki delivering a performance described as shameful.

By immediately handing the midfield reins to Cherki in Turkey, Zidane makes a gamble as bold as it is foundational to launch his era at the helm of the Bleus. This immediate trust symbolizes the desire to break with the past and establish a more creative and attacking style of play.

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The system put in place hints at a new identity for France, where Cherki's creativity and the attack's mobility will be the pillars of a renewed ambition under the direction of Zinedine Zidane.