Zidane's outburst after Olise's goal questions winning mentality
As the final minutes of the match between France and Belgium ticked away, a 54‑year‑old Zinédine Zidane sprinted along the sideline, his face beaming with euphoria, and knocked a loose spare ball away after Olise had scored the decisive goal on the grass.
Zinédine Zidane has visited our country a few times before, but this was the first time anyone saw him run like a madman after a goal. The outburst came directly after Olise’s decisive goal, which gave France the victory in Belgium.
Zidane’s record and tactical choices
After two wins, Zidane can present a provisional perfect record: both matches ended with a clean sheet and by the smallest margin. Nevertheless, his side is not yet a scoring machine, something the coach partly holds himself responsible for by changing nine positions in Brussels.
Spontaneous celebration and player reactions
After Olise’s strike, cheers erupted in the French dug‑out, but Zidane went a step further and began sprinting in wild euphoria, after which he knocked a spare ball away along the side. Andy Diouf, the French left‑back, grinned that he had not seen the explosion of emotion from his coach. He was also asked whether Monday night’s match clearly displayed the ‘Zidane‑style’; Diouf replied that he had not played under the previous national coach, but that Zidane has put the finishing touches on things since his arrival. Albert pointed to a crucial mistake by Van Bommel in the defeat to France, an incident that attracted attention alongside Zidane’s exuberant celebration.
Van Bommel aims to finally beat France as Zidane lines up his B team
The footage of Zidane’s outburst, in which even the name ZIDANE appeared in capital letters on social media, will undoubtedly circulate worldwide. Some wonder whether such a display of winner’s mentality is positive or merely superfluous, while the French national coach clearly enjoys securing the three points at the last minute.
Even at 54, Zidane shows that he can still easily kick a ball, underscoring his continued physical involvement. This physical demonstration amplified the emotional charge of the moment and gave the players an extra boost.
Zidane leads France against Belgium and revives the impossible offer
The unexpected spectacle highlights how emotion and tactics can go hand in hand in modern international football, and shows that even a 54‑year‑old ex‑player can still influence the atmosphere within a national team. Zidane’s enthusiasm can be seen as a signal that he wants to keep motivating his squad, regardless of the limited time he still has as a coach.