Italy Fight Back to Beat France 3-1 and Hand Zidane His First Defeat as Coach

admin · November 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Panoramic view of San Siro stadium in Milan, packed with fans during a football match

Italy came from behind to beat France 3-1 at San Siro on Thursday night, handing Zinedine Zidane his first defeat as France coach and moving top of their UEFA Nations League group.

Francesco Pio Esposito scored twice for the Azzurri, including a late penalty, after Michael Olise had given the visitors an early lead. Davide Frattesi added the other goal as Italy recovered from a goalkeeping error by Gianluigi Donnarumma to win an entertaining Group A1 match in Milan.

The result leaves Italy top of the group on 10 points, level with France but ahead on the head-to-head record, with one round of matches still to play on Sunday.

Olise strikes first after Donnarumma error

France made the stronger start under pouring rain in Milan, even without injured star attackers Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Desire Doue hit the side netting, first-time captain Adrien Rabiot tested Donnarumma, and Lucas Da Cunha fired a half-volley narrowly wide.

The opener arrived after 10 minutes, and it was gifted to the visitors. Donnarumma passed the ball straight to Olise, who skipped past a defender before firing home. It was Olise’s fifth goal in five Nations League games, a scoring run bettered only by Harry Kane’s seven goals in the competition.

Italy needed only 16 minutes to respond. Nicolo Cambiaghi drove to the byline and cut the ball back for Esposito, who converted with a deft touch for his first goal of the night in the 26th minute. Two minutes later, his older brother Sebastiano forced a sharp save from France goalkeeper Mike Maignan as the hosts pushed for a second.

France hit the woodwork twice

The end-to-end nature of the match continued before the break. Bradley Barcola came closest to restoring France’s lead with a curling shot from the edge of the box that struck the foot of the far post.

After half-time, Rayan Cherki’s rasping strike was tipped onto the post by Donnarumma, and Italy charged up the other end to force Maignan into a point-blank save from Cambiaghi.

Italy then had a golden chance to go in front when Cambiaghi was tripped by Malo Gusto to earn a penalty. But Sebastiano Esposito hammered his spot kick wide on the hour mark, missing the chance to join his brother on the scoresheet.

Frattesi and Esposito complete the comeback

The Azzurri did not dwell on the disappointment for long. Just three minutes after the missed penalty, substitute Federico Dimarco crossed from the left and Frattesi drilled the ball home to put Italy ahead.

Fellow substitute Antonio Vergara then earned Italy a second penalty when he was tripped by Dayot Upamecano. This time Francesco Pio Esposito stepped up and drilled his shot into the bottom corner in the 75th minute to complete his brace and seal a 3-1 win.

Why this matters

The result continued a strong start to Roberto Mancini’s second spell as Italy coach. The Azzurri have now stretched their unbeaten run to four matches, and the win was their first at home against France since 1962.

For Zidane, it was the first setback since he took charge of France after the World Cup. He had recorded three victories and one draw in his first four matches before Thursday’s defeat in Milan.

The result also blows Group A1 wide open heading into Sunday’s decisive finale. Italy and France both sit on 10 points, with Belgium third on nine after beating Turkey, who have now lost five straight matches. England have already reached the Nations League quarter-finals, and Italy now control their own fate: a result in Belgium on Sunday would send them through as group winners.

Latest developments

The final round of group matches takes place on Sunday, November 15. Belgium host Italy, while France welcome Turkey. Italy will finish top of the group if they avoid defeat in Belgium, while France need a win over Turkey and help from Belgium to reclaim first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who scored in Italy’s 3-1 win over France?

Francesco Pio Esposito scored twice for Italy, in the 26th minute and from the penalty spot in the 75th minute. Davide Frattesi scored Italy’s second goal in the 63rd minute. Michael Olise scored France’s only goal in the 10th minute.

Was this Zinedine Zidane’s first defeat as France coach?

Yes. Zidane had won three and drawn one of his first four matches in charge of France before Thursday’s 3-1 defeat to Italy at San Siro.

What does the result mean for Nations League Group A1?

Italy moved top of the group on 10 points, level with France but ahead on the head-to-head record. Belgium are third on nine points, and Turkey are bottom. The group winners will be decided on Sunday, when Belgium host Italy and France host Turkey.

When was Italy’s last home win over France before this match?

Italy had not beaten France at home since 1962, a run of more than six decades that ended with Thursday’s 3-1 victory at San Siro.

Italy will head to Belgium on Sunday knowing a draw is enough to win the group, while France must beat Turkey and hope Belgium do them a favour. After a first defeat for Zidane and a first home win over France in 64 years, the Azzurri have given themselves the simplest route to the quarter-finals.