In brief
Zinedine Zidane, the legendary former France striker and former Real Madrid manager, has officially taken over as France’s head coach after Didier Deschamps left following the 2026 World Cup semi‑final. Zidane’s decorated career—multiple Champions League titles with Madrid and a 1998 World Cup triumph—provides a strong foundation for the squad’s incoming Euro 2028 and 2030 World Cup campaigns. He expressed pride and high ambitions, while French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo lauded the appointment as a source of immense pride. The first match in Zidane’s reign will be a Nations League fixture against Turkey on 25 September. The appointment signals France’s intent to blend experience and ambition as it moves toward future competitions.
Former World Cup winner and ex‑Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has been confirmed as the new head coach of France’s national team. The appointment comes after 14 years of Didier Deschamps’ stewardship, which ended following France’s semi‑final exit against Spain in the 2026 World Cup.
Zidane, 54, left Real Madrid in 2021 and has not managed since, but his reputation as a prolific player and a trophy‑hailed coach makes him a natural fit for the Les Bleus. He led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018, becoming the first club to win back‑to‑back European crowns and the first to capture three in a row since Bayern Munich in 1976. He also won La Liga in 2016‑17 and 2019‑20.
The former Paris Saint‑Germain star made his mark on the international stage with two headed goals in the 1998 World Cup final, helping France lift the trophy for the first time. He later added a European Championship win in 2000 before earning a Ballon d’Or that same year.
“In everything I have always said there is nothing greater than the French national team,” Zidane said in a press conference. “I feel immense pride to become its manager, and I have high ambitions for what we can achieve together.”
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo echoed the sentiment, describing Zidane as “a legend” and a “source of immense pride” for the federation. Diallo remarked that Zidane’s appointment “marks the meeting of a legend in the history of Les Bleus, who has become one of the most decorated and respected coaches of his generation.”
Zidane’s first competitive outing will be a Nations League match against Turkey on September 25. The new coach will also oversee France’s campaign in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, steering the squad toward a fresh generation of international achievement.
