Zidane ready to make changes ahead Belgium clash
France head coach Zinedine Zidane has stressed he will make changes to his side ahead of a crucial UEFA Nations League meeting with Belgium on Tuesday (AEDT).
After three matchdays, Les Bleus occupy top spot in Group A1, sitting one point ahead of second-placed Belgium.
However, it has been a far from ideal campaign for the two-time FIFA World Cup winner, with Zidane having lost Kylian Mbappe and Dayot Upamecano to injury and suspension respectively.
That has forced Zidane to utilise his squad depth, but the former Real Madrid coach is happy with the options he has at his disposal.
"There will be changes, that's for sure. It is our fourth match, and we can't just do anything," he said.
"We will make smart changes, and above all, we will do it to be competitive."
The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner is determined to rotate his squad, with the hope that this brings togetherness as well as keeping everyone sharp for the games ahead.
"It is to show that we are all involved and that all the players are committed to this team, to demonstrate that there is a lot of competition within the French national team," Zidane said.
After overcoming Belgium 1–0 thanks to a late strike from Michael Olise in the reverse fixture, Zidane expects a stern test against Mark van Bommel's side at Stade de France.
"They played very well in the first match against us and caused us tactical difficulties," Zidane said.
"They are capable of many things. Against Turkiye, they posed problems for the opposition, so they are strong both collectively and individually."
However, Zidane is relishing the challenge of managing France, having replaced long-term coach Didier Deschamps after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where it finished fourth.
"I have always felt it, and I like it. I like feeling that tension, I enjoy it," he said.
"But what I love most of all is what I do – being with the players, with this group, that is what I enjoy.
"The demands are the same, but the difference is that the work with the national team differs from that at club level."
