Zidane’s first home game as France coach is against Italy, and Mancini says France are much further ahead
France have two 1-0 away wins and no goals against in the Nations League. Italy, who won 3-1 on their last trip to Paris, come to the Stade de France with Moise Kean a doubt.
Oct 2, 2026
Zinedine Zidane has won both of his games as France coach, and both were away from home. His first at the Stade de France is against Italy on Friday, 2 October, the side he was sent off against in the 2006 World Cup final. Kick-off in Saint-Denis is 8.45pm local time, which is 12.15am IST on Saturday.
He was asked about Marco Materazzi on Thursday, as he was always going to be. “I am not proud of what happened,” he said, before adding that he does not regret it because “it was part of my career”. He sounded keener to talk about the crowd, with around 80,000 expected. “It is very emotional being back here,” he said.
France have six points and no goals against
France top Group 1 of League A with two 1-0 away wins, in Izmit against Turkey and in Brussels against Belgium. They have not conceded in either. The Belgium game was won by Michael Olise, who came off the bench and scored a couple of minutes from time after Zidane had made nine changes to his side.
Kylian Mbappe will not play. He hurt his knee in the win over Turkey and has not been available since. Ibrahima Konate pulled out of the squad before the first game with a knee sprain, and Leny Yoro took his place for a first senior call-up.
The absences have not cost France much so far. Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki and Olise give Zidane more attacking options than most coaches would know what to do with, and the defence in front of Mike Maignan has not given anything away.
Mancini expects a gap, and wants a performance
Italy come in with three points from two games. They lost 2-0 to Belgium in Rome and were booed off, then won 4-1 in Bursa against Turkey three days later after Roberto Mancini changed eight players. It was the first win of his second spell in charge.
Mancini did not pretend the two sides are level. “They’re much further along than we are, but this match will tell us a lot about what we’re capable of,” he said. He also had a line ready for anyone asking how Italy might win: “We’d need all of them to get a nasty cold for France to drop down a few levels.”
He said he would make fewer changes than he did in Bursa. Nicolo Barella and Riccardo Calafiori are expected back, while Moise Kean is a doubt after missing the Turkey game with a fitness problem. “We’ll see if he can be there in Paris,” Mancini said.
Italy won the last time they came to Paris
France have had much the better of this fixture for years, but Italy will not arrive scared. In September 2024 they came to Paris in the Nations League, went behind to a Bradley Barcola goal inside 13 seconds at the Parc des Princes, and won 3-1. France won the return game at San Siro two months later by the same score, with two Adrien Rabiot headers.
Belgium play Turkey in Liege at the same time. A France win, whatever happens there, keeps them at least three points clear at the top.
I would make France favourites, mainly because they have been so hard to score against. Italy scored four in Bursa, but against a Turkey side short of their goalkeeper and three regulars. The Stade de France is a different test. Italy’s best hope is the one that worked in 2024: go behind, keep their nerve, and make France chase a game they are not used to chasing.