One of France’s greatest footballers, Zidane captained Les Bleus to their first World Cup title in 1998.
PARIS: Zinedine Zidane has been appointed head coach of the France national football team on a four-year contract, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced Tuesday, succeeding Didier Deschamps following the team’s disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The 54-year-old returns to management for the first time since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. He replaces Deschamps, who stepped down after 14 years in charge following France’s semifinal defeat to eventual champion Spain and a loss to England in the third-place playoff at the World Cup.
“I have often said there is nothing greater than the French national team,” Zidane said in a statement released by the FFF. “It is a joy and a great honor to become the coach of France. It is also a responsibility. I have a lot of ambition for the French team.”
One of France’s greatest footballers, Zidane captained Les Bleus to their first World Cup title in 1998, scoring twice in the final against Brazil, and helped the country win the European Championship two years later. He will now attempt to emulate Deschamps by joining the select group of individuals to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach.
Despite having no previous experience in international management, Zidane brings an outstanding club coaching résumé.
During two spells with Real Madrid, he guided the Spanish giants to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, two La Liga championships, and two FIFA Club World Cups.
Zidane said coaching France had long been his ambition, revealing he had turned down several club offers while waiting for the opportunity to lead the national team.
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France’s squad features an array of attacking talent, including captain Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola. Zidane’s immediate challenge will be to rebuild confidence after the 2026 World Cup and prepare the team for the 2030 tournament, with expectations of returning Les Bleus to the top of international football.
