Zidane reflects on 2006 World Cup final and Italian tactics ahead of Saint-Denis clash

Press conference in Saint-Denis

France head coach Zinedine Zidane spoke to journalists in Saint-Denis on 1 October 2026 ahead of his team's UEFA Nations League match against Italy. The fixture marks Zidane's first home match as manager of the French national team and pits him against Italy for the first time since his playing career ended. The meeting comes 20 years and two months, or 7,389 days, after his final competitive appearance on the pitch. Reporters questioned Zidane extensively about his personal history with the fixture and his preparations for the match. Zidane acknowledged the occasion while emphasizing that his focus remains on the upcoming contest rather than past rivalries.

Addressing the 2006 final and Materazzi

The July 9, 2006 World Cup final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin served as the reference point for multiple questions during the media briefing. In that match, Italy, managed by Marcello Lippi, faced Raymond Domenech's France, with Zidane opening the scoring through a penalty and Marco Materazzi scoring an equalizer in regulation time. The match turned in extra time when Zidane was sent off for striking Materazzi with a headbutt, after which Italy claimed the trophy in a penalty shootout decided by Fabio Grosso. When asked about the incident in Saint-Denis, Zidane stated that television broadcasts frequently replay the footage, though he prefers to recall more positive moments from his career. He confirmed that he has not spoken to Materazzi since the night of the final in Berlin.

Obviously, I am not proud of what I did.

Tactical lessons from Italian football

Zidane credited his time in Italian football as a defining phase in his professional growth, pointing to his playing years at Juventus as the period where he developed into a prominent player. When asked if Marcello Lippi served as a personal model for his managerial style, Zidane explained that he absorbed tactical principles from several coaches in Italy rather than attempting to replicate their methods directly. Zidane subsequently guided Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles before taking charge of the French national team. He noted that Italian managers maintain distinct tactical standards that command respect across European football.

I took a lot from him, but also from the other coaches I had in Italy, but I do not want to redo what they did, only remember their teachings, especially on a tactical level.

Italy's tournament record and head-to-head history

Reporters also asked Zidane about Italy's failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cup tournaments. Zidane initially began answering in Italian before switching to French, commenting on the absence of the Azzurri from recent global tournaments while noting that Italy retains the capacity to achieve strong performances in individual fixtures. Since the 2006 final in Berlin, France and Italy have met eight times, comprising three friendlies, two European Championship qualifiers, two UEFA Nations League matches, and one fixture at Euro 2008. Across those eight encounters, France recorded six victories while Italy earned one win. The upcoming UEFA Nations League match in Saint-Denis represents the ninth clash between the two sides since 2006.

Seeing Italy eliminated from three final phases appears really strange, this national team has always had important players.