Nations League action sees star coaches make debuts with new teams

[p]The end of World Cup cycles usually herald in a host ofnew faces, however, the 2026 vintage is particularly bountiful, with no fewer than 10 European nations having appointed a new coach since this summer's tournament in North America.[/p][p]Most notable are 1998 World Cup winner and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] legend [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zidane-zinedine/b7zuQEqO/"]Zidane[/a], who succeeds [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/deschamps-didier/M9jPX2nf/"]Didier Deschamps[/a] as Les Bleus boss, and former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] manager Klopp, who takes over his native [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a].[/p][p]When Deschamps announced the 2026 World Cup would signal the end of his 14-year reign as France boss, only one name was on the lips of football fans in the country: 'Zizou'.[/p][p]They got their wish when it was announced in July that the three-time Champions League-winning coach was replacing his old team-mate and captain at the helm of Les Bleus.[/p][p]"[b]It's like a film, but it's amazing. It's real[/b]," current France skipper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] told Spanish daily AS on Monday.[/p][embed guid="9a54f07f-7ed7-4c30-84d6-9652c9c309ce" url="https://x.com/FrenchTeam/status/2100994086261887452?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Finally, the 54-year-old will oversee his first matches as coach away to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a] on Friday and in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] three days later, before making his touchline bow at the Stade de France on October 2 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a].[/p][p]A second meeting against the Belgians in Paris the following Monday will bring the curtain down on Zidane's opening salvo in international management.[/p][p]"[b]The France job was the only one I wanted,[/b]" former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] coach Zidane said in July.[/p][p]"[b]I've had offers over these four or five years to take charge of a club and I turned them all down for the French national team.[/b][/p][p]"[b]I'm ready for the challenge, that's what drives me.[/b]"[/p][h2]'The high point'[/h2][p]If Zidane's appointment marks the long-awaited return of an iconic figure to the national team in France, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klopp-jurgen/x6CvOHH9/"]Klopp[/a]'s has been greeted with no less excitement in Germany, even if it is the former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mainz/EuakNmc1/"]Mainz[/a] defender's first taste of the Nationalmannschaft.[/p][p]Uncapped as a player, Klopp made his name in football as a coach. After legendary spells at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, and a period away from the touchline as Red Bull's global sports director, Klopp will begin an adventure many in Germany thought would never happen.[/p][p]"[b]This is ideally the high point of my career, of my life, my professional life. I will give it everything I have,[/b]" Klopp said at his unveiling after Julian Nagelsmann departed following Germany's disastrous World Cup.[/p][embed guid="38de67ec-926a-423f-89cd-ae539c58a2a8" url="https://x.com/TouchlineX/status/2100497116233699680?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The charismatic 59-year-old Klopp has already shown he will do things his way by calling up 44 players, divided into two squads, for his first matches in charge.[/p][p]Those games will be against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] in Amsterdam on Thursday and at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/greece/COuk57Ci/"]Greece[/a] three days later, before a meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/serbia/8Kl6iq0i/"]Serbia[/a] in Munich on October 1 and a trip to Greece on October 4.[/p][p]Other arrivals for this opening round of Nations League matches include [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jesus-jorge/86OEVH7O/"]Jorge Jesus[/a], who will make his [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] debut when the competition's reigning champions welcome Wales on Thursday.[/p][p]Ex-[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] metronome and 2010 World Cup winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/xavi/bs5KnIiT/"]Xavi Hernandez[/a] replaces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koeman-ronald/vHeYAvb2/"]Ronald Koeman[/a] as Netherlands coach.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mancini-roberto/phNfFF8I/"]Roberto Mancini[/a], who masterminded Italy's Euro 2020 victory, returns to try and right the course of the floundering Azzurri.[/p][embed guid="1fafa35b-174c-4409-8d6f-fd673a392aa2" url="https://x.com/Azzurri_En/status/2101004577143169372?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] and Netherlands midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-bommel-mark/n14cbFT8/"]Mark van Bommel[/a] will oversee his first Belgium match against Italy and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bilic-slaven/ttxiu0fC/"]Slaven Bilic[/a] takes over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] reins for a second time, following a successful six-year spell in charge of the Vatreni between 2006 and 2012.[/p][p]Spain's World Cup and European Championship-winning coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-la-fuente-luis/OdRnqAIc/"]Luis de la Fuente[/a] is staying put. He was on Monday rewarded with a contract extension until 2032.[/p][p]His world champions will begin their tilt at a second Nations League title with an eye-catching clash against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tuchel-thomas/CQTUFgPk/"]Thomas Tuchel[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] at Wembley on Saturday.[/p]