Zinedine Zidane will face a new test in managing France’s biggest stars when he takes charge of the national team, with the strained relationship between Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele presenting a challenge that echoes his own complicated history with Thierry Henry.
Zidane is preparing for his first experience as coach of the French national team after previously occupying one of the most influential positions inside the dressing room as a player. His time with France included major successes, but it also exposed him to relationships between prominent players that were not always as harmonious as their achievements suggested.
Among those relationships was his partnership with Henry.
Zidane and Henry shared some of the most important years in French football history. Together, they won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, but their success with the national team did not develop into the close personal relationship or understanding that might have been expected between two players of their ability.
One statistic highlighted by the newspaper “L’Equipe” illustrates the limited connection between the pair on the pitch. Zidane did not provide Henry with his first France goal until the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Brazil.
The moment came from a free-kick delivered by Zidane towards the far post, where Henry was positioned to finish and score the winning goal for France.
It was an important moment between two players whose careers had been closely connected through the national team, although questions remained about why their understanding never developed further despite the amount of time they spent together.
Their different personalities, positions and responsibilities within the team were among the factors that made the relationship more complicated.
When Henry broke into the France team in 1998, he was still a young member of a squad containing established stars. He was particularly close to players of his generation, including David Trezeguet and Nicolas Anelka.
Zidane, meanwhile, had already developed into one of France’s leading figures. His performances and reputation gave him a significant standing within the squad.
There were also tactical differences between the two. Zidane often started from the left before moving into central areas, while Henry also operated from the left and then looked to move towards the middle. Their movements could therefore bring them into the same areas of the pitch.
Henry’s growing reputation at Arsenal further strengthened his position within the French squad. As his career progressed, he became one of the team’s leading figures, while Zidane continued to occupy an exceptional position within the group.
Zidane’s return to international football in 2005, alongside Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele, added another dimension to the dressing-room dynamic. By that stage, Henry had already become one of the most important leaders within the France squad.
Zidane’s return inevitably changed the balance inside the group because of the status he had built during his career, particularly among his international team-mates.
Despite the difficulties, the relationship between Zidane and Henry never developed into outright hostility. Instead, it was characterised by mutual respect and the achievements they shared with France, rather than a particularly close relationship away from the pitch.
The situation Zidane faces now is different because he will no longer be one of the players involved in managing those relationships.
As France coach, he will have responsibility for the dressing room and must deal with the relationship between Mbappe and Dembele. The situation gives his experience with Henry a new significance.
The former France star once had to navigate relationships with other leading players as a member of the squad. He will now have to manage those relationships from the position of coach, with Mbappe and Dembele presenting one of his early challenges.
