Zidane’s France faces logistical problems after debut camp

Zinédine Zidane’s first gathering as France coach could lead to major changes behind the scenes after logistical failures exposed weaknesses in the national team’s organisation. A full staff meeting was scheduled for Tuesday to review what went wrong and decide on possible adjustments.

The sporting record was positive. France collected three victories and one draw during the camp and finished at the top of its Nations League group. The team also showed a clear playing direction, while the relationship between the players, Zidane and his staff appeared to be working well.

The problems concerned equipment and daily operations rather than results on the pitch. Some players reportedly received boots without their studs properly fitted, causing frustration. Equipment was also said to have gone unwashed between the trips to Turkey and Belgium. Romain Molina attributed these incidents to mistakes in the way the staff was assembled, with some people allegedly lacking the required skills or assigned to unsuitable roles.

Molina also criticised what he described as amateur management and insufficient preparation by the French Football Federation. He raised concerns about the high cost of air travel for both the senior team and France’s under-21 side, particularly while the federation’s finances are in poor condition. The priority, he said, appeared to be protecting the public image built around Zidane and his staff.