Real Madrid News
Stats: Fringe Real Madrid midfielder makes strong statement for France under Zinedine Zidane
Eduardo Camavinga has been handed a fresh opportunity with new France under Zinedine Zidane, and the Real Madrid midfielder responded with a performance that justified the faith placed in him.
Camavinga started for the first time under Zidane as France defeated Belgium 1-0, taking advantage of an opportunity that had been a long time coming.
The midfielder had not started for Les Bleus since October 2025, when he featured in a World Cup qualifier against Iceland.
Zidane already knew the midfielder’s qualities and made his confidence in Camavinga clear during the first week of training.
Against Belgium, the Real Madrid star showed why his new manager believes he can become an important figure for France.
Camavinga dominates midfield against Belgium
Camavinga’s numbers showed the control he brought to France’s midfield.
— 10 (@marc225l) September 28, 2026
The Real Madrid midfielder completed 62 of his 66 passes, giving him a 94% completion rate.
His accuracy was even higher when operating in the opposition half, where he completed 41 of 42 passes for a remarkable 98% success rate.
He also missed only one of his four attempted long passes, highlighting the range of his distribution.
Without the ball, Camavinga offered the energy expected from a genuine box-to-box midfielder.
He won six of his 11 ground duels and recovered possession five times, allowing him to maintain a high physical level throughout the full 90 minutes.
Notably, all this was made possible because Zidane gave him considerable freedom in central midfield, where his partnership with Lucas Da Cunha helped France improve their build-up play.
There was one blemish. A mistake in the opposition half allowed Belgium to launch a counter-attack that could have ended with a chance, although it was Camavinga’s only significant error of the night.
Zidane believes Camavinga can unlock defences
The opportunity carries additional significance because Camavinga has played just 240 minutes in six matches for Real Madrid, starting just one of them.
Zidane, however, appears determined to overlook his Real Madrid numbers.
It is said that the France coach has no doubts about Camavinga’s potential and sees him as a midfielder capable of breaking defensive lines with his ability on the ball.
His unique touch, composure, and capacity to generate attacking play are qualities Zidane clearly values.
Against Belgium, Camavinga finally had the opportunity to put those qualities on display from the start, and he impressed.
Real Madrid News
Ex-Real Madrid presidential candidate wanted to bring Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta as manager
The presidential election at Real Madrid this summer was something unprecedented but despite the best efforts of Enrique Riquelme, he couldn’t do much to dethrone Florentino Perez.
That being said, some of Riquelme’s ideas have now become more relevant than ever, including his pitch to sign Jurgen Klopp as the new manager, instead of Jose Mourinho.
However, Riquelme wasn’t always in favour of Klopp and in fact, had initially pitched Mikel Arteta as the next manager for Real Madrid.
Riquelme had favoured Arteta
According to The Athletic, Riquelme had identified Arteta as a potential successor to then-coach Alvaro Arbeloa as part of his election campaign.
The context came amid Arteta’s own contract situation at Arsenal, with the Spaniard having just signed a new four-year deal following the club’s Premier League triumph.
The report notes that Real Madrid were the biggest club searching for a new coach at the time, and Riquelme saw Arteta as an appealing candidate.
Ultimately, though, Riquelme’s campaign shifted towards Klopp, while Perez, who won the election, opted to bring back Mourinho.
As a result, Arteta’s name never progressed beyond an early consideration, and the Spaniard remained fully committed to Arsenal, where he continues to build on his growing legacy.
Arteta has consistently dismissed interest from elsewhere, including links to Barcelona in 2024.
Mourinho has his work cut out
While Real Madrid ultimately chose Mourinho, the early signs suggest the Portuguese has a significant task on his hands.
Los Blancos have endured a stuttering start to the season, already sitting well behind runaway leaders Barcelona in La Liga.
Performances have been inconsistent, with the team lacking intensity and cohesion, and reports have even pointed to unrest within the dressing room.
That has inevitably led to questions over whether a different appointment, such as Arteta or Klopp, might have offered a smoother transition.
Arteta, in particular, has proven his credentials by ending Arsenal’s long wait for a Premier League title, doing so against a dominant Manchester City.
For now, Mourinho must find a way to turn things around and justify Perez’s faith. With a demanding run of fixtures ahead, including El Clasico, the pressure is already building.
