The France team was neutralized by Italy on Friday evening, in the League of Nations, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. For Zinedine Zidane's first at home as coach, the Blues long believed they could win before giving in to the Squadra Azzurra and scaring themselves by finishing the match outnumbered.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 22:40 Modified on: 03/10/2026 - 12:00

The Blues were neutralized by Italy (1-1), Friday October 2 evening, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. For their third meeting in the League of Nations, the French could have hoped for better, but the Squadra Azzurra was able to be realistic to obtain a share of the points.

For Zizou's first at home as coach, the Dionysian enclosure gave him a warm welcome: a standing ovation when the teams were announced, a "Zizou welcome home" wave as the players entered the pitch and a "Marseillaise" which gave goosebumps. It's certain: the love story of the French public resumed this evening with its legendary number 10, now coach.

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Twenty years after their coach's last France-Italy, the 2026 version of the Blues are keen to win the Squadra Azzurra and confirm the great promises seen in the game against Belgium. But while the stands of the Stade de France are celebrating, Moise Kean threatens to spoil it by appearing alone at the far post. He misses his flat foot a little and Mike Maignan saves the ball on his line. The first opportunity of the match could have hit the mark (9th).

On the pitch, the French team is less cheerful than its public: it rotates the ball, but its possession of the ball is sterile and when the French wingers try to strike, they constantly come up against the airtight Italian defense. To the point that we had to wait until the 20th minute of play for the first French situation, a curling shot from Michael Olise which was off target.

Nothing else to report during this first act for the Blues, while Italy failed to open the scoring twice from a corner... But Davide Frattesi's shot was narrowly deflected (40th) and Moise Kean's goal logically refused for offside (41st).

Olise's firecracker and Bastoni's flair

Returning from the locker room, the Blues showed a completely different face and appeared more dangerous in a few minutes than in a half. But each time, Gianluigi Donnarumma is on their way. The Italian goalkeeper first made a decisive double save by repelling Désiré Doué's curling shot from 20 meters, then by interposing in stride against Ousmane Dembélé at close range (48th).

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“Gigio” then shows his beautiful reach on a curling shot from Michael Olise (50th). But he can do nothing when the Bayern winger comes to clean his skylight with a sumptuous free kick from 25 meters, concluded by a returning cross (1-0, 55th). However, Italy does not admit defeat. She even comes back into the match thanks to Alessandro Bastoni who steals a ball from the feet of Lucas Da Cunha before placing a shot out of reach of Mike Maignan (1-1, 68th).

The Blues were picked up cold, they who dominated unchallenged during this second act. So, Adrien Rabiot tries to give his team the advantage again, but he comes up against Gianluigi Donnarumma (70th), then the Italian defense (76th). Entering, Eduardo Camavinga also tries to score a second goal for France, but the Italian goalkeeper is still in the path of the ball (84th).

The Squadra Azzurra would not be against a success either, and Moise Kean is very close to scoring on a diving header narrowly deflected for a corner by Mike Maignan (81st). To make matters worse, the Blues finished the match with ten men after the exclusion of Dayot Upamecano, warned of a second yellow card for a gross foul on Moise Kean (85th). The end of the match will not change the score on the scoreboard. Twenty years later, it was written that Italy would play a bad trick on Zizou's France.

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