THE FUSE

Zinedine Zidane, the France manager, spoke about his side's 3-1 defeat to Italy in the match that brought the two together on Thursday evening in the UEFA Nations League, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, pointing to some positives despite the result, and stressing the need to treat the loss as part of the learning process.

Zidane said, in televised remarks to the "TF1" network: "There were good things, especially in the first half, but we lost the match, so there were certainly some difficult aspects this evening."

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He added: "In the duels and individual battles we were of lower quality, and this is part of the learning process."

The France manager pointed to the collapse at the back once Italy edged ahead. "We lost focus, especially defensively, as soon as Italy scored their (second) goal," he explained.

Zidane urged calm in the wake of the defeat. "We have to stay calm. It's better that we play matches like this now, and we'll see how we react. We mustn't panic, Rayan Cherki is right about that, and I said the same thing to the players."

On another note, the France boss offered an update on Kylian Mbappé and his chances of facing Turkey after picking up a knock. "Yes, I hope so (Mbappé featuring). In any case, he stayed for this reason. I think he isn't suffering from anything serious, but the idea is to get him to play."

Désiré Doué's night brought another problem, this time with his teeth. "I think one of his teeth has moved out of place, and we'll take care of him starting tomorrow," Zidane said.

Italy had not beaten France on home soil since 5 May 1962, a 2-1 win in Florence.

France led that historic encounter through Jean-Claude Piumi in the 28th minute. Then Italy's José Altafini struck twice, in the 47th and 51st minutes, to turn the game and hand the hosts victory.

Several meetings on Italian soil have followed since, yet the Azzurri could never repeat the trick.

On their last visit to the San Siro in November 2024, France won 3-1, also in the UEFA Nations League.

Tonight brought an unwanted statistic for French defender Dayot Upamecano. For the first time in his international career, France conceded three goals in a match he played in normal time.

The only other time France shipped three with Upamecano on the pitch came in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina. Those goals, though, arrived across 120 minutes, after the match went to extra time and was settled on penalties.

Professional Summary

A multi-disciplinary Egyptian journalist dedicated to providing readers with comprehensive and accurate insights. I possess over 13 years of experience in print and broadcast media, having contributed to some of the largest newspapers, digital platforms, and TV channels in Egypt and the Arab world. Notably, since April 2017, I have served as a Shift Manager and Desk Editor at Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, collaborating with a premier team of highly professional journalists.

I am passionate about crafting logical and accessible sports articles and analyses—avoiding unnecessary complexity—while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and objectivity. I firmly believe that personal bias has no place in journalism; information is a trust, and integrity is the supreme ethic of the media profession.

Personal Background & Football Philosophy

My journey with football began at the age of five, inspired by my family's passion during the 1994 World Cup. Since then, the sport has become an integral part of my life, both as a player and a spectator.

One of my most formative footballing memories is the historic 1999 UEFA Champions League final at Camp Nou. That night, Manchester United’s dramatic late comeback against Bayern Munich marked the beginning of my lifelong allegiance to the German giants, who still hold a prominent place in my heart.

Areas of Expertise

Leveraging extensive experience across various media sectors, I specialize in:

Football History: Extensive knowledge of European and German football history.

Tactical Analysis: Predicting match scenarios and tactical breakdowns.

Scouting: Identifying young talents and analyzing their technical potential.

Career Milestones & Highlights

Among many memorable sporting moments, the most significant remains Bayern Munich’s 2001 UEFA Champions League victory over Valencia—my first continental celebration with the club.

All-Time Favorite XI:

Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer.

Defense: Alessandro Nesta, Sergio Ramos, Philipp Lahm, Paolo Maldini.

Midfield: Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane.

Forward: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazário.

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