Zidane, Van Bommel, Klopp: New Era Begins With Fire in Nations League Openers
Africa's football fans got a taste of the future this weekend as a new generation of coaching royalty took center stage in the UEFA Nations League. Zinédine Zidane and Mark van Bommel kicked off their reigns with victories, while Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández settled for a draw in their debuts. This is the changing of the guard, and the beautiful game is better for it.
Zidane's France grind out a win in Türkiye
Zidane's France secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye in Kocaeli, with captain Kylian Mbappé scoring the decisive goal before limping off injured. The win wasn't pretty, but it was effective, and that's exactly what the new boss wanted.
“There are a lot of emotions,” Zidane told TF1. “Starting with a win is never easy, especially here in Türkiye. We prevented our opponent from developing their game by pressing high and being very aggressive in winning back possession. It's very encouraging for the future.”
Defender Jules Koundé revealed the French dressing room stayed calm after a goalless first half. The message was simple: trust the process.
“He asked us to keep playing and to trust our game plan,” Koundé said. “By keeping possession more in the second half, we managed to tire them out. Because they were determined to press us high up the pitch, it eventually opened up spaces.”
Van Bommel's Belgium make a statement against Italy
Across the continent, Mark van Bommel began his Belgium tenure with a statement win over Italy. Mika Godts and Dodi Lukébakio found the net as the Red Devils showed they're not here to make up the numbers.
“I could hardly believe that we had worked together for just a few days, watching the way we were playing,” Van Bommel told UEFA. “In the first half we played some very good football. We could have scored more goals but I'm very happy with all the chances we created. In the second half, we suffered a bit more, so I decided to make some changes; fortunately, it went well.”
For Roberto Mancini, it was a bitter return in his second spell as Italy coach. But even he had to admit Belgium were the better side when it mattered.
Klopp denied by late drama in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, Jürgen Klopp looked set to celebrate a debut victory after Felix Nmecha put Germany ahead. But football has a cruel sense of humor. Cody Gakpo struck in the 92nd minute to snatch a point for the Netherlands and leave the German boss with a bitter taste.
New Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández insisted his side deserved more from the encounter.
“I'm satisfied because we played so well,” Xavi said. “Honestly, we were better than Germany today. We deserve a bit more, especially in the second half, because it was really good. I'm so happy because we showed our way of playing.”
Klopp, ever the pragmatist, acknowledged the rough patches but refused to panic.
“We got off to a good start in the first ten minutes. Then we had ten minutes of problems; we just couldn't quite get going,” he said. “When the system isn't yet in place — and I don't even mean the tactical aspect, but generally, when the processes aren't completely ingrained — then that's a moment where you have to fight hard to win challenges.”
Portugal's new look shines under Jorge Jesus
Holders Portugal also began their campaign with a win, edging Wales 1-0 in Lisbon under new coach Jorge Jesus. João Félix scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute, lining up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in Jesus' new-look two-man attack.
“You could see our style of play: very attacking football, pressing, not letting the opposition catch their breath,” Félix said.
Jesus was all smiles after the game, praising his team's discipline.
“The team managed to hold on to the win defensively, it was important that we didn't concede any goals,” he told RTP. “I was pleased with the result and performance.”
What's next in the Nations League?
The action doesn't stop. France and Belgium will meet on Monday in a heavyweight clash, while Italy host Türkiye. The Netherlands travel to Serbia on Sunday, with Germany hosting Greece, and Portugal visiting Norway.
New coaches, new ideas, new energy. This is football's new wave, and we're all just lucky to be watching.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Nations League matches on Friday?
France beat Türkiye 1-0, Belgium defeated Italy, and Portugal edged Wales 1-0. Germany and the Netherlands drew 1-1.
Did Zinédine Zidane win his first match as France coach?
Yes, Zidane's France secured a 1-0 victory over Türkiye with Kylian Mbappé scoring the winning goal.
What happened in the Germany vs Netherlands match?
Germany led through Felix Nmecha, but Cody Gakpo scored in the 92nd minute to earn the Netherlands a 1-1 draw in Jürgen Klopp's first match as Germany coach.