France team: Zinédine Zidane proud of his players

02.10.26 14:45 UEFA Nations League A

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Manu Koné spoke on Wednesday. He was notably asked about the aura of his new head coach, Zinédine Zidane.

With the France national team, the main focus of this September camp is discovering Zinédine Zidane’s playing principles and what he expects from the players. Speaking to the press, Manu Koné faced numerous questions about Zinédine Zidane’s management style. “It’s a pleasure to be coached by Zinédine Zidane; he’s a global legend. He manages us in a very human way, he’s very sincere and very close to the players. He can speak to us privately or in front of the group. He gives us confidence and tells us to play freely. Each of us can be natural in our own way, and that’s a pleasure,” he said.

A midfielder, albeit a more defensive one, Manu Koné benefits from the French legend’s sound advice: “He was a midfielder, so I’m learning a lot. Naturally, I listen to everything he tells me; I can only learn alongside him. He gives me a lot of advice about positioning and the team’s balance. The most important thing is to meet the coach’s demands. The staff is a little larger, and they respond to all our requests, regarding treatment, care and also on the pitch. I think that does us good with the national team.”

Read also: Barcelona: updates on Raphinha’s injury with Brazil

While Zidane’s joy has been evident after the first two matches he has spent on the France bench, Manu Koné confirms that he knows how to convey his satisfaction to the players. “We haven’t had much time to work, and he’s proud of us because we managed to implement everything he wants. He’s very proud of us; he told us that, in his eyes, we are very good players and that we have the ability to adapt. And he’s very proud of that—he told us so,” Manu Koné concluded.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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UEFA Nations League A