Zinedine Zidane's much-anticipated tenure as France head coach begins on Friday, when Les Bleus take on Turkey in the Nations League, marking the first competitive step in what promises to be a fascinating experiment at international level.
Throughout his career, Zidane has remained something of a mystery to observers, both as a player and as a coach. Despite winning three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018 - a feat matched by no other manager in history - questions persist about how much of that success stemmed from his tactical acumen versus the sheer quality of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos and Casemiro at his disposal.
Zidane's record at Real Madrid places him among an elite group of coaches, alongside Bob Paisley, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, in terms of Champions League triumphs, trailing only Carlo Ancelotti overall. Yet his domestic achievements were comparatively modest: two La Liga titles across four full seasons in charge, split between two spells at the club. His first stint began sensationally, with Madrid setting a Spanish record by scoring in 73 consecutive matches, winning 16 consecutive league games (also a record, shared) and 13 straight away fixtures. Still, he lost eight of his opening 100 matches in charge - itself an unwanted record for the club.
His Champions League victories often came without overwhelming dominance. The 2016 triumph followed narrow wins against Manchester City (via a Fernando own goal in the semi-final) and Atlético Madrid, decided on penalties. The 2017 success was more emphatic, built on a dramatic extra-time win over Bayern Munich and a rampant Ronaldo inspiring victories over Napoli, Atlético and Juventus. The 2018 final win over Liverpool, meanwhile, was shaped by circumstances beyond Zidane's tactical influence - a shoulder injury to Mohamed Salah following a challenge from Sergio Ramos, a costly mistake from goalkeeper Loris Karius, and a spectacular strike from Gareth Bale.
Zidane departed Real Madrid just days after that third European crown, offering little explanation beyond a vague reference to the need for change at the club. He returned less than a year later, in March 2019, following unsuccessful spells under Julen Lopetegui and Santi Solari, and guided the club to a further La Liga title in the two subsequent full seasons.
Now he takes charge of a France squad that boasts extraordinary depth of talent - so much so that even a second-string side might be considered genuine World Cup contenders. Under Didier Deschamps, France reached three major tournament finals, including successive World Cup finals, and lifted the trophy in 2018. Yet questions lingered over whether the team ever truly captivated audiences, until this summer's World Cup, where they played with greater attacking intent before being outplayed in midfield by Spain.
Zidane inherits a squad containing several new faces, signaling a departure from the continuity that characterized the Deschamps era. He has already made moves to assert control behind the scenes, notably restricting media access to the France squad's arrival at their Clairefontaine training base - an early indication that he intends to shape the environment around the team from the outset.
While Deschamps was often praised for maintaining discipline within a squad that had previously been beset by controversy - including incidents in 2002 and the notorious 2010 training strike in South Africa - his tactical caution was also questioned, particularly in the semi-final defeat to Spain, where some felt he was not cautious enough at a crucial moment.
With greater autonomy typically afforded to international coaches compared to their club counterparts, Zidane's true footballing philosophy may finally come into focus during his time with France. Friday's match against Turkey offers the first small glimpse of what is to come.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.