Michael Olise scored a memorable direct free-kick for France against Italy, ending a 558-day wait for his next goal from a set-piece and adding a new moment to Zinedine Zidane’s historic return to the Stade de France.
Olise’s strike came during a special evening for Zidane, who received a remarkable reception from the French supporters before the match. The former France great was welcomed back to the national stadium years after making his mark there in the colours of Les Bleus.
The France forward produced the goal with a powerful left-footed effort from just outside the penalty area. His shot struck the crossbar before finding the net, taking his international tally to nine goals for France.
It also restored one of Olise’s most effective weapons for the national team. His previous direct free-kick goal had come against Croatia in the quarter-final of the UEFA Nations League on 23 March 2025.
That meant Olise had waited 558 days before scoring from a direct free-kick for France again. The timing gave the goal added significance, coming on a night centred on Zidane and the welcome he received inside the Stade de France.
Olise’s effort brought together the present and the past of French football. Zidane returned to the stadium amid tributes from the crowd, recalling the years in which he starred for France, while Olise supplied a spectacular goal and gave his coach a fresh moment to celebrate at the beginning of his journey with the national team.
The strike was widely described as a rocket-like attempt, with the ball’s contact with the bar adding to the finish before it settled in the net. It provided a standout moment in the France-Italy meeting and gave Olise another notable entry in his international record.
Zidane’s appearance on the pitch had already created an historic atmosphere before kick-off, but Olise ensured the evening also belonged to a current France player. His free-kick not only extended his scoring total to nine goals for Les Bleus, but also marked the return of a set-piece skill that had been absent from his international goals since March 2025.
