Zinedine Zidane completely exploded with joy. After Michael Olise scored the winning goal against Belgium (1-0) on Monday night in the Nations League, the France head coach produced a celebration as spontaneous as it was unexpected. A short sprint along the touchline, a huge smile and then a kick at a loose ball in front of his bench: Zizou experienced the goal as if he were still on the pitch.
Zidane is usually known for being calm and composed on the touchline. But against Belgium, the former France number 10 allowed his emotions to take over. With the match seemingly heading towards a frustrating result for Les Bleus, Olise finally delivered the breakthrough and completely released the tension for his coach.
Zidane Sprints Down the Touchline and Kicks a Ball
As Olise drove towards the Belgian goal, Zidane appeared to sense that something special was about to happen. The France coach started running along his technical area, almost following his player’s move from the sidelines. When the ball hit the back of the net, Zidane erupted. After his sprint, he spotted a ball lying near the touchline and immediately kicked it to release all the accumulated tension. The rare scene quickly became one of the defining images of France’s victory.
Asked after the match about his celebration and whether he had been worried about injuring himself during his sudden sprint, Zidane joked to TF1: “Was I afraid of pulling a muscle? No (smiles). I started running because I wanted to follow Michael. I could see him going on his dribble and I felt he was going to score. I knew it. Either way, I was fully behind him (laughs).” The reaction showed just how immersed Zidane was in the game, briefly rediscovering his instincts as a player as he followed the move before celebrating the goal.
The outburst was particularly striking given Zidane’s usually controlled demeanor on the bench. But in such a tight contest, Olise’s decisive goal was enough to break down those barriers. Thanks to the strike, France secured a 1-0 victory over Belgium and continued their Nations League campaign. Beyond the result, the night also produced a memorable moment: Zidane simply unable to contain his joy.
🤣 ZIDANE DÉCHAÎNÉ APRÈS LE BUT D’OLISE !
Le sélectionneur des Bleus revient avec le sourire sur sa célébration spectaculaire après le bijou de Michael Olise ! 🇫🇷🔥 🎙️@ThomasMekhiche pic.twitter.com/dtYTch9fsH
— TF1 (@TF1) September 28, 2026
