Zinédine Zidane promises adjustments before Belgium
Zinédine Zidane, on the eve of the second meeting of his tenure against Belgium, confirmed that changes will be made, leaving the French waiting for tactical adjustments before the duel with the Red Devils. He emphasized that the preparation time is limited before the trip.
Winner of his first match in charge of the French on Friday evening, the double Z resumed the press conference exercise this Sunday. This appearance comes on the eve of the second confrontation of his tenure, against Belgium.
Announcement of changes
There were smiles, but not many big announcements, as observed during the session. “There will be changes, that’s for sure. How many, you’ll see tomorrow. There is little time with the trip in the middle. The idea is to keep going… I don’t want to say too much, there is a coach on the other side, I know you want it, but I don’t want to” Zidane said. Without specifying the adjustments, he indicated that these modifications will be aimed at the Red Devils.
Captain choice and Cherki's role
In the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé will take on the captain’s role. “He is the vice‑captain, he has that role, even when he isn’t the captain. He is, he’s a good guy, always there for others and we need to draw on his experience. I expect something from everyone, not just the captains. It’s a group that gets along well, we’ve been together for a week, I can see they are happy to be together,” Zidane affirmed. He added that Dembélé has a super interesting work rate and incredible energy, capable of playing all four matches if needed.
Zidane relies on Cherki as a link, but reveals a defensive weakness
Zidane then spoke about Amine Cherki, describing him as a “ball player, but that’s not all, everyone knows that.” “What interests me is what he can do without the ball. He can receive the ball between the lines, he finds incredible passes. Two or three times, when he plays vertically, it can be immediately interesting,” he added.
Enzo Maresca must be delighted to see Zizou give advice to Cherki during the break, according to the coach. This attention to young talents shows the desire to diversify the squad.
Zidane reaffirms his seniority rule by naming Dembélé captain
Zidane concluded by reminding that the changes will be revealed tomorrow, before the mid‑week trip. The French therefore await to see how these adjustments will influence their approach against the Red Devils.