Former France great Zinedine Zidane critical of coach Raymond Domenech and players

Zinedine Zidane critical of France team

KNYSNA, South Africa — Former France captain Zinedine Zidane says Raymond Domenech “is not a coach” and that “there is no teamwork” among the French players at the World Cup.

France drew its opening group game 0-0 against Uruguay, and Zidane sees little hope for improvement.

“The hardest thing is that there is no teamwork. They didn’t play together and it was more a case of individual efforts,” Zidane said on Canal plus television Sunday night. “The players must take responsibility for themselves, move themselves. You have to be straight with each other.”

Zidane scored twice when France won the 1998 World Cup final and helped France win the European Championship in 2000, but he may be best remembered for getting ejected in the 2006 World Cup final after headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest. France went on to lose the game on penalties.

Domenech was the coach in 2006, yet Zidane has little faith in him.

“He’s not a coach. He picked his squad and he has to make them play together,” Zidane said. “You must put your ego to one side and work together. Teamwork is the most important thing, and that’s not what we saw during the (Uruguay) match.”

France’s next Group A match is against Mexico on Thursday in Polokwane.