Zinedine Zidane set to break Didier Deschamps tradition with France

Zinedine Zidane is planning a major change to the way France monitor their players abroad, ending a long-standing practice established under former manager Didier Deschamps.

France have not yet secured their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League, but they can be satisfied with their performance during the current international break. Les Bleus have taken three wins and one draw from their four matches and lead Group One with 10 points.

They are three points clear of second-placed Italy and four ahead of third-placed Belgium, leaving France in a strong position at the top of the group.

After Zidane expressed his satisfaction with the early steps of his time in charge of the national team, he now has a full month to prepare for the next international break.

According to L’Equipe, the new France manager intends to use that period to adopt an approach markedly different from the one used by Deschamps.

Under Deschamps, his assistants Guy Stephan and Franck Raviot were responsible for watching France’s players who were playing professionally outside the country. Zidane, by contrast, plans to travel himself whenever possible so he can maintain direct contact with his players.