San Siro is preparing to host an important Nations League match tomorrow, pitting two central figures of European football against each other: Roberto Mancini and Zinedine Zidane. They will once again face each other as opponents on the bench, after outstanding careers as players and later as coaches. Both are former great playmakers who share many trophies won, a special relationship with the stars of their teams and an easily recognizable tactical style. Now, they have been called upon to lead Italy and France in a match that could mark a new beginning for both national teams.
Roberto Mancini, born in Jesi on November 27, 1964, made his Serie A debut with Bologna at the age of 16. From 1982 to 1997, he played for Sampdoria, winning one Scudetto and one Cup Winners’ Cup. He then played for Lazio from 1997 to 2000, where he also won one Scudetto and one Cup Winners’ Cup. He ended his playing career at Leicester. With the Italian national team, he has 36 caps and 4 goals. He began his coaching career in March 2001, replacing Terim at Fiorentina.
On the other hand, Zinedine Zidane, born in Marseille on June 23, 1972, won the Ballon d’Or in 1998, the same year he triumphed at the World Cup, adding the European Championship two years later. He played for clubs such as Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid. With “Los Blancos”, Zidane won one Champions League as a player and three as a coach. He took charge of Real Madrid’s bench in 2016, replacing Rafa Benitez, and returned in March 2019 after the departures of Lopetegui and Solari. This matchup promises spectacle and strategy between two icons of world football.
Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport