Italy expose France’s flaws in first defeat of Zinedine Zidane era

Zinedine Zidane suffered his first defeat as France manager as Italy recovered from an early Michael Olise goal to win 3-1 at San Siro.

France had begun the match with energy and attacking intent but lost control after the interval, raising early questions about Zidane’s ability to impose his ideas and respond when matches become difficult.

The result came in Zidane’s fifth game in charge. He had started his tenure with three wins and a draw, but France gradually surrendered the initiative in Milan as Italy capitalised on defensive mistakes and the spaces left by their opponents.

Olise put France ahead after 10 minutes, rewarding a bright opening in which the visitors pressed high and unsettled the Italian defence. Malo Gusto struggled at times on the right, but France continued to threaten and appeared capable of controlling the contest.

Their failure to extend the lead proved costly. Bradley Barcola and Christopher Nkunku both hit the post, highlighting France’s lack of precision in front of goal. After half-time, the pressure became less coordinated, the attacking threat faded and Italy took control.

Criticism grows around Zidane

Christophe Dugarry, a close friend of Zidane, criticised France’s performance during an appearance on RMC. He said the manager’s approach had worked initially before breaking down.

“There was a plan, and things went well at the start, then it fell apart,” Dugarry said. “There is a lack of confidence, work and communication, along with many other things the team needs to improve.”

Dugarry pointed to the absence of several senior players, including Jules Kounde, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Kingsley Coman, Aurelien Tchouameni and William Saliba. He said their missing experience had affected France’s balance, but did not believe injuries alone explained the collapse.

He also said France needed to develop the resilience to manage difficult matches rather than rely solely on technical ability.

“You cannot always showcase your technical qualities; you must be able to give everything and contribute effectively,” he said. “Look at the fighting spirit the Italians showed. This team will learn how to suffer and deal with difficult circumstances.”

Dugarry described the second-half display as a major setback, but one that could provide a necessary lesson.

Substitutions questioned

Zidane’s in-game decisions also came under scrutiny. He waited until the 77th minute to make changes, introducing Mayulu, Kroupi and Kumbedi for their international debuts.

Although giving new players experience was viewed as important, the timing prompted questions over whether Zidane had accepted that France would be unable to recover. More experienced options, including Warren Zaire-Emery and Eduardo Camavinga, remained on the bench while France struggled to regain control of midfield.

Zidane was also criticised for keeping Gusto on despite his difficulties on the right. “It is Zidane’s decision, but it has not proved correct so far,” said Dugarry. “It is strange that he does not try Zaire-Emery.”

Daniel Riolo, another RMC pundit, said some of Zidane’s selections were difficult to understand.

“There are things I did not understand, and Zidane’s choices raise doubts in certain positions,” he said. “We played 25 good minutes, but after that there was so much confusion that I no longer knew who was playing where or who was doing what.”

The defeat has therefore become Zidane’s first serious test, exposing concerns over France’s cohesion, attacking efficiency and ability to adapt under pressure.