In his column for L'Equipe, Bixente Lizarazu discussed the differences between the French national team under Zinédine Zidane's management and previous squads. He noted that Zidane's playing style bears similarities to Spain's approach in recent years and Paris Saint-Germain under Luis Enrique. Lizarazu also expressed great admiration for Da Cunha's performance in the match against Belgium, stating that when he takes the field, the team's technical control noticeably improves.

Since Paul Pogba stopped wearing France's blue shirt, we have gradually become accustomed to midfields featuring two or three defensive-minded players. However, since Zidane took over, he has introduced a more technically skilled and attacking-oriented style to the midfield and the team overall.

There are two different philosophies for midfield construction, which can certainly be combined: one focuses on winning the ball, while the other emphasizes possession. Under Zidane's leadership, the team appears to lean toward the second approach, which aligns with Spain's long-standing playing style and Luis Enrique's philosophy at PSG. This football concept is now proving its effectiveness, as evidenced by France's recent 2-0 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 semi-final.

In the match against Belgium, Da Cunha demonstrated excellent technical control. I don't want to jump to conclusions too quickly, as top-level competition demands consistency, but I was very impressed with his performance in that game. He brought great stability to the team's defense. His teammates constantly look to pass to him because they find he rarely loses the ball, and he has excellent ability to organize play from the back. When he is in the team, the team's technical control strengthens. Integrating Kanté or Akanji into this three-man midfield system would also bring fresh dynamics to the center of the pitch. This shift in midfield philosophy may be the first clear hallmark of the Zidane era. The historically high pass completion rate in France's defensive third during the Belgium match is evidence of this progress.

By adjusting the type of players and combining three technically skilled midfielders within a specific tactical structure, the team can employ a different playing approach and achieve better technical control of the game. This doesn't necessarily mean scoring more goals, which highlights the contradiction: Zidane's philosophy emphasizes attacking play, yet France's last two victories were both 1-0. Ball possession means better control of the game's rhythm, forcing opponents to run and tire—just as Spain did to us in the World Cup. Possession-based football generally looks more aesthetically pleasing to watch. While introducing this new tactical approach, we can also maintain our counter-attacking style, which suits our forwards' strengths.

This new tactical approach may affect player selection: some players who were once considered undisputed starters may find it difficult to adapt to a system with more possession. Whether this playing style can be effectively applied against stronger opponents remains to be seen. The ultimate test will be against Spain. They have already beaten us twice in two major tournaments (including the Euro 2024 semi-final). In terms of pure technical possession, that team has instilled this philosophy at every position since youth level, making them nearly unbeatable. It will be interesting to see whether Zidane's upcoming midfield selections can maintain this promising initial impression and whether he can deliver against them.

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