Upamecano said he was happy to learn under the new French coach Zinedine Zidane.

The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League will enter the group stage, with France, nicknamed the "Les Bleus," playing their first match away against Turkey. Upamecano stated that he is very happy to be learning under new manager Zinedine Zidane.

Following Didier Deschamps' resignation as head coach after the World Cup, football legend Zinedine Zidane was appointed as the new head coach of the French national football team in July.

Born in France, Zinedine Zidane previously managed La Liga giants Real Madrid, leading them to two La Liga titles, three Champions League titles, and two UEFA Super Cup titles. Furthermore, this will be Zidane's first time coaching a national team.

French defender Upamecano said in an interview, "We were all Zidane fans when we were young, and it was a happy thing to work with him. I am very happy to learn from him."

“We did some technical training, and it was clear that his footwork is still excellent. It will be very difficult to replicate everything Zidane has shown in terms of technique. We really enjoyed the training session we just finished and are looking forward to the rest of the journey.”

Upamecano also shared, "Our first meeting was more of an opportunity to exchange ideas and get to know each other, because we didn't know everyone's names, and Zidane introduced the arrangements for this training session."

Regarding comparisons between Zidane and his former coach Deschamps, Upamecano said, "We won't have such discussions, but I'm very happy to have him as a coach, and Deschamps has helped me make great progress in many ways."

“I’m 27 years old now, and there’s still a lot to learn. I’m open to any advice, and we’re all very happy that Zidane is here.”