Two wins mark the debut of Jorge Jesus with Portugal and Zidane with France, while Klopp and Xavi face initial challenges in the Nations League.
The first FIFA Date after the World Cup brought high expectations with the debuts of four renowned coaches at the helm of European national teams in the Nations League. Jorge Jesus (Portugal), Xavi (Netherlands), Jürgen Klopp (Germany), and Zidane (France) began their tenures under the spotlight, with particular attention on the Portuguese coach, former Flamengo manager, and the multiple-title winner with Real Madrid.
While the duo shone with consistent results, the journeys of Klopp and Xavi with the German and Dutch national teams, respectively, showed that the path might be more complex, with draws and losses in their first commitments. This initial scenario already points to different paces and challenges for the European football powerhouses.
Jorge Jesus’s Strategic Start in Portugal
Jorge Jesus had an impeccable performance in his first games in charge of Portugal. The team secured two victories, against Wales 1-0 and Norway 2-1. The Portuguese coach demonstrated tactical flexibility, utilizing several reserve players and maintaining good collective performance. Even with Cristiano Ronaldo starting in only one match, João Félix, his teammate at Al-Nassr, stood out with goals in both encounters.
Jesus‘s vision is to continue Roberto Martínez‘s legacy, leveraging one of Portugal‘s most talented generations. Of the 26 called up for the FIFA Date, 21 were at the World Cup. However, the “Mister” emphasized that his tactical approaches differ from his predecessor’s, implementing formations such as 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1, always with a strong offensive presence.
Zidane’s Brilliance Leading France
Zinedine Zidane also had a successful debut, guiding the French national team to two 1-0 victories. The triumphs came against the respected Turkish generation and the always challenging Belgium, in Brussels. Stars like Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise were decisive in finding the back of the net.
Despite not displaying exuberant football against the Belgians, France, leading their Nations League group, relied on individual talent to overcome their opponents. With a lineup mixing starters and reserves, the brilliance of Désiré Doué and a spectacular goal from Olise in the final minutes, after coming off the bench, secured the points. The team’s next challenge will be against Italy.
Klopp and Xavi: Beginnings with Obstacles
In contrast to the successes of Jesus and Zidane, the journeys of Xavi with the Netherlands and Klopp with Germany had more turbulent starts. In their direct clash, the teams drew 1-1. Subsequently, the Netherlands defeated Serbia 2-1, while Germany suffered a 1-0 defeat to Greece.
This result against the Greeks, added to the underwhelming performance in the last World Cup, raises a red flag about the arduous work awaiting the former Liverpool coach. Klopp, with the worst start for a coach in German national team history, faced criticism, and the press described the team’s attitude as:
Harmless
Meanwhile, Xavi, despite being satisfied with his players, urged the Dutch team for greater aggression in the offensive sector, seeking more pressure on the opponent’s build-up and constant attacks into space.
The initial rounds of the Nations League served as a barometer for the new eras of command in European national teams. While Jorge Jesus and Zidane celebrated solid starts, Klopp and Xavi were confronted with the reality of the challenges in building new tactical identities and achieving immediate results in such a competitive scenario. The upcoming matches will be crucial in defining these teams’ trajectories toward their goals in the competition.
By Equipe M360
