Zinedine Zidane was delighted when Michael Olise scored late in the match to secure victory for France over Belgium. He ran along the touchline, spotted a ball lying there and kicked it away with force. The moment raised smiles in the aftermath of Belgium - France.
Olise keeps Zidane perfect France start alive with late winner in Belgium
Zinedine Zidane could not hide his emotions after Michael Olise produced the decisive moment in France 1-0 victory over Belgium, with the former Real Madrid coach celebrating so enthusiastically that he ended up kicking a loose ball away on the touchline. The unusual reaction quickly became one of the most discussed images of the night, but Zidane was far more interested in praising Olise, whose late goal preserved the perfect start to his spell in charge of the French national team.
France had been pushed hard by Belgium and appeared to be heading towards a frustrating draw until Olise took responsibility late in the match. The attacking midfielder collected possession, drove forward and produced the individual quality required to settle a tight contest. His goal transformed the mood around the French bench and triggered a celebration from Zidane that immediately drew attention both inside the stadium and on television.
The France coach ran along the touchline as the move developed and later admitted that he already believed Olise was going to score before the shot had even been taken. Standing directly behind the attack, Zidane became completely absorbed in the moment. When he noticed a ball lying near the technical area, instinct took over and he struck it away with force as the France bench celebrated.
Zidane explains his touchline celebration
At his post-match press conference, Zidane was happy to laugh at himself and explain exactly what had happened. The former midfielder said he had become so immersed in Olise dribble that he simply reacted like a player rather than a coach.
"When I saw Olise start that dribble, I knew he was going to score. I was standing right behind him and got completely caught up in the moment. I celebrated so hard for him. And when I see a ball, I have to shoot it," Zidane explained.
The answer offered a glimpse of the instinctive football personality that defined so much of Zidane playing career. Even after moving into coaching, the former France captain clearly still experiences key moments with the reflexes of someone who spent decades on the pitch. Rather than attempting to make the celebration look more serious than it was, Zidane treated the incident for what it was, an emotional and spontaneous reaction to a dramatic late winner.
The image of the coach striking the spare ball became an immediate talking point after the final whistle, but the humour surrounding the moment also reflected the positive atmosphere around France after another victory under their new manager.
Lizarazu jokes with his former teammate
The reaction did not go unnoticed in the French television studio. On TF1, Bixente Lizarazu, who shared some of the greatest moments in France football history with Zidane, laughed about the celebration and issued a playful warning to his former teammate.
Lizarazu and Zidane were part of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, and the familiarity between the pair was obvious in the former full-back comment.
"Be careful, next time you might pull a muscle or something," Lizarazu joked while analysing the match.
The remark added another light-hearted element to a night that had ended perfectly for France. Zidane, however, did not want his own celebration to become the main story. Once the jokes were over, he quickly redirected the conversation towards Olise and the quality of the goal that had decided the match.
Zidane full of praise for Olise
The France coach was particularly enthusiastic when discussing the match-winner. Rather than focusing only on the finish, Zidane praised Olise broader understanding of football, describing him as a player who anticipates situations naturally and plays with instinct.
"He is a pure talent, a real footballer. I love real footballers. He understands the game, he anticipates, and you know that once he commits to something, he gives everything," Zidane said.
The description was revealing. Zidane has always been associated with players who combine technique with intelligence, and his comments suggested that he sees Olise as someone who fits exactly that profile. The goal against Belgium was important because it won the match, but the coach admiration clearly extends beyond one action.
For Zidane, the most valuable quality appears to be Olise ability to read situations before they fully develop. That anticipation was visible in the decisive move, with the attacker recognising the space available, committing to the dribble and then completing the action with the confidence required in a high-pressure moment.
A difficult night decided by individual quality
France 1-0 victory was far from straightforward. Belgium made the visitors work for the result and remained competitive deep into the second half. With the match still goalless late on, the contest appeared increasingly likely to be decided either by a mistake or a moment of individual inspiration.
Olise provided the latter. His late intervention was exactly the type of contribution that can separate strong international teams when there is little between them structurally. France did not need a long spell of dominance or a series of chances in quick succession. They needed one player capable of creating something decisive, and Olise delivered.
That is one of the reasons Zidane reaction was so intense. From his position on the touchline, he saw the move developing and immediately recognised the potential danger. By the time Olise completed the dribble, the coach was already convinced the attack would end in a goal.
The fact that he later described the moment in such detail also showed how clearly he had read it. Zidane may no longer be playing, but his ability to identify a decisive attacking situation remains intact.
Perfect start remains intact
The late winner also carried wider significance because it preserved Zidane perfect start with France. Every new national-team coach is judged heavily on the opening matches, especially when taking charge of a country with expectations as high as France.
Results naturally matter most during that period, but Zidane will also be encouraged by the fact that his team found a way to win a difficult away match without needing to dominate from start to finish. International football often produces tight games, and the capacity to remain patient before striking late can become extremely important.
France showed that patience against Belgium. The match demanded concentration, discipline and the belief that one decisive opportunity might eventually arrive. When it did, Olise was ready to take advantage.
For Zidane, the result provides further momentum and gives him more evidence that the squad is responding to his methods. The performance may not have been perfect, but the outcome extended the positive start and reinforced the feeling that France are growing under his leadership.
Olise becoming increasingly important
Olise contribution also strengthens his own position within the national team. Players who can decide matches late are particularly valuable at international level, where coaches often have less time to build complex attacking structures than they would at club level.
The France coach clearly appreciates Olise technical level, but his praise also focused on commitment and awareness. Zidane highlighted the fact that once Olise chooses to attack a situation, he does so completely. That determination was evident in the winning move.
For a player trying to establish himself as a central figure in the side, moments like this can carry enormous weight. A late winning goal against Belgium will naturally be remembered, but the trust expressed publicly by the coach may be equally significant.
Zidane description of Olise as a "real footballer" was more than a casual compliment. Coming from one of the most technically gifted players of his generation, it amounted to a clear endorsement of the qualities the coach values most.
Attention now turns to October
France will now look ahead to two more matches in October, both of which will be played on home soil. Italy will be one of the opponents before Belgium return for another meeting with Zidane side.
The second match against Belgium will naturally offer an immediate reference point. France now know how difficult the first meeting was and will expect another competitive contest. Belgium, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to respond after being denied so late in the match.
The Italy fixture presents a different challenge and gives Zidane another opportunity to continue shaping the identity of the team. With the early results going his way, the coach enters that period with confidence and a squad that is beginning to provide decisive contributions from several areas.
Home matches will also give France the chance to build on the connection that already seems to be developing between the coach, the players and the supporters. Zidane status naturally generates enormous attention, but his start has so far given the public sporting reasons for optimism as well.
Zidane still carries the instincts of a player
The most memorable image from Belgium may still be Zidane striking the spare ball in celebration, but the reaction also captured something deeper about his relationship with football. Even as a coach, he remains emotionally connected to the game in a way that is instantly recognisable.
He saw Olise attack the space, sensed the goal before it happened and reacted almost automatically. For a few seconds, the distinction between the former player and the current coach seemed to disappear.
Lizarazu joke ensured the moment would continue to attract attention, but Zidane response after the game made clear that he wanted Olise to receive the real credit. The coach celebration was entertaining, yet the decisive action belonged entirely to the player.
France leave Belgium with another victory, Olise with another major moment and Zidane with his perfect beginning still intact. With Italy and Belgium waiting in October, the next chapter of his tenure is already approaching, but for now the image of the France coach kicking away a loose ball after a dramatic late winner perfectly captures the enthusiasm surrounding the start of his new role.
