Zinedine Zidane praised for his match, the anthem sparks debate

Zinédine Zidane had a successful start on the purely sporting front with the France team on Friday night in Turkey, but a small slip marred the official ceremony: he missed the opening notes of the national anthem and the match.

A small slip during the anthem

On the pitch, the Blues dominated and won the match, giving their new manager a first victory.

During the raising of the anthem, Zidane did not sing the opening notes, which was noticed by viewers. The protocol called for a quick launch, but the manager was slightly delayed.

“The Marseillaise was launched very quickly, that was the protocol, he reacted after his team’s victory. Yes, they warned me, but there was still this small delay. It was always the same emotion, I have no words. Twenty years later… It had been a very long time since I had returned for the France team, so coming back as manager is something special. I seized the moment.”

He explained that the hurried launch of the anthem was part of the protocol after the victory.

Zinédine Zidane praised for performance, criticised for tardiness to La Marseillaise

Turkish supporters whistled the anthem, but most of the French players sang it in unison, as is now the norm. Viewers noted that the manager was only moving his lips, fueling the debate.

Fabien Barthez, the goalkeeping coach, did not open his mouth during the anthem, remaining silent. In contrast, former manager Didier Deschamps and his assistant Guy Stéphan sang at the top of their lungs, showing visible enthusiasm.

During his international career, the Marseille native never truly sang the anthem, often simply placing his hand over his heart. He usually remained silent or whispered the words quietly.