Zidane and Klopp debut as Nations League opens with new coaches and injury-hit squads
The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League kicks off on Thursday with a star-studded lineup of new international coaches set to make their debuts. Among them are Zinedine Zidane, who succeeds Didier Deschamps as France manager, and Jürgen Klopp, now leading Germany after his tenure at Liverpool.
Zidane, a 1998 World Cup winner, will oversee his first matches as France coach away to Turkey on Friday and in Belgium on September 25, followed by home fixtures against Italy and Belgium in October. "The France job was the only one I wanted," Zidane said in July, confirming his long-awaited return to the national team. Current France captain Kylian Mbappé told Spanish daily AS on Monday, "It's like a film, but it's amazing. It's real."
Klopp, uncapped as a player for Germany, begins his international management career after departing Liverpool. At his unveiling, he called the role "ideally the high point of my career, of my life, my professional life." His first matches will test Germany’s rebuilding efforts following their World Cup exit.
The Nations League’s opening window also features Poland, who announced a late squad change due to injuries. Sławomir Abramowicz, a Jagiellonia Białystok goalkeeper, replaced Bartłomiej Drągowski after the latter withdrew with a back issue, joining Kamil Grabara on the sidelines with a knee injury. Poland faces Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, followed by matches against Sweden, Romania, and Bosnia again.
Slovenia, managed by Boštjan Cesar, will host Scotland on Saturday before facing North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Scotland again. Scotland’s squad, under new manager Sébastien Pocognoli, includes seven uncapped players and 14 who missed the 2026 World Cup.
Serbia opens their campaign at home against Greece, with coach Veljko Paunović under pressure after recent disappointments. Former Red Star manager Vladan Milojević criticized the team’s struggles, noting, "Disappointment is huge. We didn’t qualify for the World Cup, and now we must show better in the Nations League."
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