Zidane puts Mbappé in his place and breaks with Deschamps' conciliatory methods

Zinedine Zidane has no intention of managing Kylian Mbappé the way his predecessor did. Since taking over as France manager, the new coach has already reportedly taken several steps to assert his authority over his captain, according to information relayed by Spanish journalist Tomas Roncero.

“Zidane wants to show he’s not like Deschamps, who was perhaps more accommodating with Kylian because he was the star. But Zidane is Zidane and he has character,” Roncero said in comments reported by Real France. An analysis based on two episodes that occurred during recent France squad gatherings.

The first concerns a bold tactical choice: during the match against Turkey, Zidane reportedly positioned Mbappé on the left wing, giving the centre-forward role to Ousmane Dembélé. A decision that reportedly displeased the captain, according to L’Équipe.

The second episode is even more revealing of the emerging power dynamic. Suffering from a hamstring injury during the November gathering, Mbappé reportedly wished to return to Madrid for treatment, even going so far as to charter a private jet according to several sources. Zidane allegedly refused outright, demanding that his captain remain with the squad until the end of the gathering.

These two incidents outline the contours of a more complex relationship than expected between the two men, who had long displayed mutual admiration. Zidane, whose natural authority was already a hallmark during his time on the Real Madrid bench, seems intent on establishing from the outset that star status does not confer preferential treatment within the national team.