Zidane ends Clairefontaine fashion parade

Zinedine Zidane has begun his tenure as France manager by introducing significant changes to the team’s media routine, starting with the end of the fashion‑focused player arrivals at Clairefontaine. From the next training camp, journalists and photographers will no longer witness players entering the national centre; images will instead be produced solely by the federation’s media team and later distributed to news outlets. In recent years, the arrivals had become a full‑blown event, with outfits scrutinised across social networks and even a blue carpet rolled out before the last World Cup.

Zidane clarified that the move is not about enforcing sobriety but about preventing excessive spectacle and restoring focus on group dynamics. The coach has also suspended individual interviews during this first international window, while maintaining limited mixed‑zone access. It marks a clear shift from the Deschamps era, signalling Zidane’s intent to keep Clairefontaine’s environment more private and team‑centred.