Zidane Explains Late Arrival for Anthem in France Debut Win
Zinedine Zidane began his France reign with a 1-0 win over Turkey in Izmit, then admitted a protocol error left him and his staff arriving late for La Marseillaise before kick-off.
Winning start for Zidane
France overcame a difficult night at Izmit Stadium to give their new head coach victory in his first match on the bench. The narrow result came despite a poor playing surface that disrupted Les Bleus’ attempts to move the ball quickly and construct attacks cleanly.
- Match: Turkey 0-1 France
- Venue: Izmit Stadium
- Significance: Zidane’s first game as France manager
- Condition: A damaged pitch made France’s build-up play more difficult
The visitors had to dig in rather than dominate, but secured the result Zidane wanted from his opening assignment.
Anthem delay explained
There was an awkward moment before the match when Zidane and his coaching group reached the touchline only after the French anthem had already started. It was the former France midfielder’s first anthem ceremony as national-team boss.
Zidane played down the incident after the final whistle, saying the pre-match schedule had moved more quickly than he anticipated.
“The protocol was faster than expected,” Zidane said. “I had a slight delay in ignition. I would have preferred to arrive at the beginning.”
Belgium await on Monday
France now head to Belgium on Monday for Zidane’s second fixture in charge. The new manager will seek another away result after his first trip ended with a hard-earned win.
