French midfielder Kouadio Kone attended a pre-match press conference ahead of the match against Italy, discussing Zidane's coaching style, his position on the pitch, and the team's preparations. This is the first part of that press conference.

You play in Italy. Can you talk about your interactions with your teammates there, and how do they perceive the French team? Especially given Italy's current difficulties, how do they view France?

First of all, I know this is an important match for Italy. It's important because, in their eyes, we are a very strong team, a powerful team with many great players. Mancini and Cristante always tell me this during training. I know this will be an important match. We often joke with each other because I play for Roma, and of course, they want to win.

But joking aside, we know this match is important. They're also in a rebuilding phase, you could say, going through a relatively difficult period. But we will focus on ourselves. We know we represent the French team, and we have some truly exceptional players. I also know that this will be the coach's first match leading the team at Stade de France, and we really want to win.

One of your characteristics is that you're friends with Maignan in the French squad, and you've also faced him in Serie A. How difficult is it to play against him in the league? Or do you think it's not that difficult?

I'm not sure, are you talking about Mike?

Yes, Mike.

Oh, Mike is Mike. He's a great goalkeeper, an exceptional goalkeeper, and also the captain of AC Milan. We know that when playing against him in Italy, it's difficult to score past him. He covers a large area in front of goal and he also leads by shouting; he's the leader of AC Milan.

He's also a very good teammate, and we enjoy playing with him. In the French team, we're very happy to have him on our side rather than as an opponent. We're proud of him.

On Friday against Turkey, we saw you play as a defensive midfielder. We rarely see you in this position. How did it feel playing there? Do you think this could be your position with the French team in the future? Also, do you need to control the forward runs that we usually associate with you?

Yes, I played as a defensive midfielder. I try to play according to the coach's requests. I believe a midfielder should be capable of playing in different positions across the midfield. I've played in this position many times before at other clubs and at Roma. So for me, there isn't much difference, and I enjoy playing there.

That was also a difficult match, and the demands on us were different compared to the match against Belgium. That match was more about duels, and I felt I tried to perform as expected. For me, when playing as a defensive midfielder, there are requirements that must be met, regardless of which coach is in charge. The coach gives me specific instructions, and of course, I must follow them. Although sometimes I do like to make forward runs, how I play in a match is more determined by what the team needs.

Now, the coach is asking me to play a role in a certain style of play, and I will do my best. I'm very proud of myself.

You've been working with Zidane for about ten days now. Can you specifically talk about how he interacts with the players, his management style, and how he prepares for matches? What is Zidane like as head coach of the French team from a player like you's perspective? What new things have you discovered about him during this process?

First of all, it's truly enjoyable to be coached by Zidane. He's a legend in world football. Regarding how he manages us, his management style is very humane. He's genuine and close with the players. He speaks to us individually and also communicates with the entire team.

He also values the feeling of interaction with the players, which is very enjoyable. He gives us all confidence and allows us to play freely. So, in my opinion, we don't need to worry. Everyone can be themselves naturally, which feels great.

Let's talk a bit about something outside the French team. Among the players originally called up for this squad, six of you have previously played in Ligue 2, and you're one of them. What memories do you have from that experience? Do you think it was an important step in getting playing time? Is it also important for some players? The club where you started is in Ligue 2, and some players were loaned there, like Jeremy. Do you think it's important to be willing to drop down to a lower league to get playing time so you can secure a stable starting place? How important was that experience for your career?

First of all, I think everyone's experience is different. Some players are more willing to go to Ligue 2 to get playing time. For a player like me, I played in Ligue 2 because my team was relegated. At that time we were 20th in Ligue 1. I have wonderful memories from that experience. We also enjoyed playing, although "enjoyed" needs to be put in quotation marks. Toulouse had a good group of players at that time, with Amine Adli and others.

We had a very good season. Although ultimately we couldn't secure promotion, I think Ligue 2 is also a difficult league to play in, especially when you're still young. But for some players, why not go to that league to get playing time? But in my opinion, it still varies from person to person, depending on the specific player. That's all.

Continuing on the question about Zidane: what impressed you most during his first week working with you? Was there a specific conversation, a special request, or something you remember? Especially from your personal perspective.

From my personal perspective, he's very genuine. He speaks to me, and he speaks to all of us. I think he may have spoken to everyone individually. Of course, I wasn't present in all conversations, so I can't be certain.

But he told me to play in my usual way. He's been observing me. He lets me play freely, which gives me confidence. Also, in these first few weeks, what really surprised me was the technical ability he demonstrated in training. He hasn't lost any of his touch. Seeing it firsthand is even better, especially at his age, that he can still do these things. When his career ended, I was still very young. But seeing him still possess such technique now, you think: how extraordinary must he have been when he was playing?

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