Zidane, the condemnation of Domenech

Hugo Lloris and Raphaël Varane having retired from international duty after the 2022 World Cup, France no longer had a captain or vice-captain. In fact, Didier Deschamps had the duty to pass on the armband to whoever he considered to be best able to fulfill the duties of captain. He therefore chose Kylian Mbappé rather than Antoine Griezmann. The striker started his captaincy on Friday evening against the Netherlands and passed this first stage successfully. But for observers, it is especially during moments of storm that it will be possible to judge Mbappé’s ability to unite around him. And to resist a pressure that some have not always been able to face.

While he was talking about this subject, Saturday on the set of the chain The Team, Raymond Domenech was questioned about the now famous « headbutt » sent by Zinedine Zidane to Marco Materazzi, in the middle of the 2006 World Cup final. Crushing in the face of the shower of insults of all kinds that his opponent in the evening threw at him , the one who was then captain of the Blues had cracked, received a red card and rewarded his partners there. As he was asked the question: Isn’t Zidane’s behavior forced captain’s behavior?« , the former coach of the Blues had no choice but to answer: » strength. »

Face the test

Returning to the locker room with his head bowed, for what remains as his last appearance in an official match in the tricolor jersey, Zinedine Zidane therefore left his team which held out as best they could until a penalty shootout but ultimately lost against Italy. For his part, Kylian Mbappé begins his career as captain, he who knows well that complicated days will probably come at one time or another when the Blues will experience a less good blow. He will then have to prove that he has the makings of a captain. On and off the pitch.