Zinedine Zidane, the prospective coach of the French national team, revealed his great admiration for the new generation of football stars, led by Lamine Yamal, Michael Olise, and Kylian Mbappé, stressing that they "play like we used to play in the neighborhood," and that he "enjoyed a lot" watching them during the 2026 World Cup.

According to statements made by Zidane at the beginning of July during an informal conversation with David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimović, as part of a promotional event for the video game brand EA Sports to discuss the 2026 World Cup and the next generation of players, the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner said: "There are many young players aged 20 and 21, and they play like we used to play in the neighborhood. That's what we want to see on the pitch."

Zidane, who rarely speaks publicly, added: "It was great to watch them. We can talk about Yamal, Olise, and Mbappé. Everything they give us on the pitch... they all inspire us when we watch matches. That's what we want to see. I really enjoyed it."

Zidane followed the 2026 World Cup with great interest while awaiting his appointment as coach of the French national team. He was present in the stands of MetLife Stadium to watch the final match, which Spain won against Argentina yesterday, Sunday, before Lamine Yamal lifted the cup.

The three legends, Zidane, Beckham, and Ibrahimović, unanimously agreed that the new generation represented by Lamine Yamal has exceptional talent. Ibrahimović, who worked as a sports analyst for Fox Sports this summer, said: "For me, Lamine Yamal is a special player. He just turned 19, but when he was 16 or 17, his performance was amazing. He has already won a European Championship and two La Liga titles."

For his part, David Beckham cited his compatriot Jude Bellingham, describing him as a "star," alongside Kylian Mbappé, adding: "We've always seen Kylian. We don't associate him with the new generation, but he is part of it. He is still young and has a long career ahead."

After Didier Deschamps' departure from the French national team following the third-place match against England last Saturday in Miami, which ended in an exciting 6-4 defeat, Zinedine Zidane is expected to take over as coach of "Les Bleus" soon. The French Football Federation is expected to officially announce his appointment as technical director of the French national team before the end of this July.