France's national football team, led by new head coach Zinedine Zidane, was held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in a Nations League match on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Zidane took over as France head coach in July, succeeding Didier Deschamps. The match was marked by a strong performance from both teams, with Italy's Alessandro Bastoni scoring a crucial equalizer in the second half.
The match got off to a lively start, with France's Michael Olise scoring in the 55th minute to give the hosts the lead. Olise's second goal in as many games had the home supporters in high spirits. However, Italy's Bastoni had other plans, scoring midway through the second half to cancel out Olise's opener. Bastoni's goal came after a failed attempt by Lucas Da Cunha to control the ball outside the France penalty area.
The Inter Milan defender advanced on the France goal and slotted his shot past goalkeeper Mike Maignan, silencing the buoyant home crowd. Despite being in control and having chances to "kill the game," France struggled to regain momentum after Italy's equalizer. Zidane attributed the setback to the team's inability to capitalize on their chances and get back into the match.
France's skipper, Kylian Mbappé, was among the players who gave their all, but the team's efforts were ultimately undone by Dayot Upamecano's second bookable offense in the 85th minute, which saw him sent off. Italy finished pressing for a winner in the final minutes, but the match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw. Zidane expressed disappointment but encouragement, citing the team's performance and resilience.
The draw means France remains top of League A Group 1 with seven points from three games, while Italy moves to four points. Belgium lies second with six points, following a 3-0 win over Turkey, where Kevin De Bruyne scored twice and Romelu Lukaku notched his 94th goal for his country. The top two teams from each of the four groups in League A will advance to the last eight next March.
The semi-finals of the Nations League are set to take place on June 9 and 10, 2027, with the final scheduled for June 13, 2027. In the upcoming matches, France will host Belgium at the Stade de France, while Italy will face bottom-of-the-table Turkey. Zidane's side will look to bounce back from the draw and secure a win against Belgium.
The draw against Italy was a setback for France, but Zidane remains optimistic about his team's chances. With a strong performance against Belgium on Monday, France can maintain their position at the top of the group and take a step closer to advancing to the last eight of the Nations League.
Key points
- France's new head coach Zinedine Zidane was held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in his first home match.
- Italy's Alessandro Bastoni scored a crucial equalizer in the second half to cancel out Michael Olise's opener.
- France remains top of League A Group 1 with seven points from three games, despite the draw against Italy.
