Zinedine Zidane could not hide his emotions after Michael Olise scored a brilliant late winner against Belgium, with the France coach running down the touchline before kicking a spare ball in celebration.
Zidane Goes Wild After Michael Olise Scores Stunning Late Winner for France
Zinedine Zidane produced one of his most emotional celebrations as France manager after Michael Olise scored a stunning late winner against Belgium.
France looked set to leave Brussels without a goal after being frustrated for most of the match.
But everything changed in the 88th minute.
Olise produced a brilliant individual run before scoring the goal that gave France a dramatic 1-0 victory.
And Zidane’s reaction on the touchline quickly became one of the biggest talking points.
Zidane runs with Olise during incredible goal
As Olise started his run towards the Belgium penalty area, Zidane appeared to realise something special was about to happen.
The France coach began moving along the technical area while watching the Bayern Munich star drive forward.
Olise continued his run, beat the Belgian defence and found the net.
Zidane then sprinted down the touchline before kicking a spare ball in celebration.
The unusual reaction quickly attracted attention on television and social media.
Zidane is normally known for his calm personality, which made the moment even more surprising.
Zidane reveals what he was thinking
After the match, Zidane explained what had happened.
He said that as soon as he saw Olise begin his dribble, he believed the winger was going to score.
Zidane said:
“As soon as I saw him start dribbling, I knew he was going to score.”
He also explained why he began running alongside the action.
“I went with him when I saw him go. I was completely with him.”
For a few seconds, Zidane appeared to experience the attack almost alongside his player.
Olise changes the game from the bench
Olise had started the match on the bench.
He was introduced in the 77th minute in place of Bradley Barcola.
Only around 11 minutes later, he produced the decisive moment of the match.
The winger collected the ball, drove through the Belgian defence and finished the move himself.
His goal secured all three points for France and made Zidane’s substitution one of the key decisions of the night.
Zidane gives Olise huge praise
Zidane continued to praise Olise after the final whistle.
He described the attacker as:
“A pure talent.”
The France coach said Olise understands the game well and knows when to speed up or slow down play.
Zidane also made it clear that he enjoys working with the Bayern star.
It was another strong sign of how highly he rates Olise.
France had to wait until the 88th minute
The victory was not easy for France.
Belgium frustrated Zidane’s side for most of the evening and the match remained 0-0 deep into the second half.
Then Olise produced the moment France had been waiting for.
His solo effort finally broke Belgium’s resistance and transformed the mood around the French bench.
Zidane later said he believed France deserved the victory based on their overall performance.
Zidane’s strong start continues
The result also continued Zidane’s impressive start as France manager.
France had already beaten Turkey 1-0 in his first competitive match in charge.
The victory over Belgium gave France two wins from Zidane’s first two Nations League matches.
The result was even more important because captain Kylian Mbappé was unavailable after returning to Real Madrid with a knee problem.
Olise becoming increasingly important
The match was another reminder of Olise’s growing importance for France.
Even without starting, he entered the game and made the decisive difference.
His technical ability, dribbling and calm finish gave France exactly what they needed.
Zidane’s reaction and his comments after the game also showed how much confidence the coach has in him.
A celebration that quickly went viral
For many fans, the lasting image from the match may be Zidane’s celebration.
He watched Olise begin his run, started moving with him and then exploded with emotion when the ball went in.
It was a rare display from one of football’s normally calmest figures.
Olise had produced a moment of individual brilliance, France had secured another late victory, and Zidane simply could not hide what it meant to him.
