Thierry Henry labels Zinedine Zidane 'on par with God' as France icon enjoys flawless managerial start

French icon fulfills dugout dream

Henry praised Zidane's perfect start after the manager claimed maximum points from his opening two fixtures in charge of France. Taking the reins of Les Bleus had been a long-held ambition he patiently waited for after leaving the Santiago Bernabeu dugout: "I told myself that the only thing I wanted to do after Real Madrid was this."

The 54-year-old tactician delivered an immediate impact with a 1-0 away victory over Turkey on Friday, 25 September, becoming the first France coach to win on his debut since Aime Jacquet in 1994, before securing an identical scoreline in Belgium three days later.

Deity comparison defines managerial stature

Observing the immediate aura and influence of his former 1998 World Cup-winning team-mate, Henry highlighted the newly appointed manager's extraordinary standing within the game. Speaking on RMC's 'Rothen s'enflamme' programme, the former Arsenal forward said: "Zizou's arrival is extraordinary. It's having someone who, when it comes to football, is on par with God. I say this without intending to offend believers, but for us, in football, he's on par with God."

Former team-mate urges ruthless consistency

Henry also noted first-hand how the legend's presence in the dressing room has inspired the next generation of French talent: "Having him with the French national team and seeing what he can bring to this generation... We've already seen the lads talking and expressing themselves about him. We saw their eyes light up... It's perfectly normal because, after all, he's Zizou!"

However, reflecting on the relentless public expectations once placed on Didier Deschamps, Henry underlined that sustained success remains essential: "But we still need results; he's already achieved some, and he'll have to maintain them. So, as I said about Deschamps, good luck!"

Stade de France hosts blockbusters

A classic European encounter awaits France as they prepare to host Italy at the Stade de France on Friday evening. The fixtures come thick and fast for the group leaders, who then welcome Belgium to Saint-Denis on matchday four next Monday. Back-to-back matches on home turf offer Zidane an ideal opportunity to extend his winning run and cement his authority at the Nations League summit.