France and Italy got their Ligue des nations A meeting under way at the Stade de France on 02/10/2026, and the first big reaction of the night belonged to Zidane. When his name was announced at the start of the match, the crowd answered with an ovation.
It was a simple moment, but a striking one. In a live setting, the Stade de France made clear how special Zidane’s return was for the supporters gathered to watch France in action.
A special reception for Zidane
The speaker’s announcement brought an immediate response from the stands, with the crowd rising to salute Zidane. The message from the French crowd was clear enough, with the Irrésistibles français capturing the mood in the words: “Zizou, bienvenue chez toi”.
For a match already carrying the weight of France-Italie in the Ligue des nations A, that reception added another layer to the evening. It was not only the start of a competitive game, but also a homecoming moment that the Stade de France clearly treated as significant.
The match in focus
This was France against Italy in J3, and the opening seconds immediately showed that the atmosphere would matter as much as the football. France launched the match at home, but the early story was Zidane’s ovation and the way the crowd embraced his presence.
In live coverage terms, it was the kind of reaction that defines a night before the contest has really settled. The football would follow, but the emotional tone was set from the moment Zidane’s name was heard around the stadium.
