Official: Zidane appointed as new coach of France
The France and Real Madrid legend takes over from Didier Deschamps after signing a four-year contract.
Philippe Diallo (R), president of the French Football Federation, introduces Zidane as the new French national team coach.
French soccer legend Zinédine Zidane was named France's head coach on Tuesday to succeed Didier Deschamps, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced at a press conference. The Algerian-born star will take over from his former national teammate Didier Deschamps, who had held the position since 2012 and led the team to victory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as well as finishing as runner-up at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2016 European Championship in France.
"Zinédine Zidane will be France's head coach for the next four years," said Philippe Diallo, president of the FFF, on Tuesday from the Federation's headquarters, sitting next to Zidane. "In February 2025, I met with Zinédine Zidane. It was an initial meeting to offer him the position of head coach of our national team," Diallo said.
The legendary No. 10, who played 108 matches for France, retired as a player at Real Madrid, before taking over as the club's head coach on two occasions (2016–2018 and 2019–2021).
An impressive track record for a brief stint on the bench
As a manager he has led only Real Madrid, guiding the club to three consecutive Champions Leagues titles (2016, 2017, 2018), a feat never before achieved by a single manager.
His interest in the national team manager position was an open secret, and rumors of his appointment circulated in 2018 and 2022, before Deschamps' contract was renewed on both occasions.
Out of management since departing Madrid in 2021
Despite the excitement and expectations surrounding his arrival, Zidane had been without a coaching position since 2021, following his second stint in charge of Real Madrid.
The attacking midfielder, one of the greatest players of all time who led the Bleus from the field to victory in the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, will announce his first roster in September, before making his coaching debut against Turkey on the 25th of that same month in a Nations League match.
"The job as France's head coach was the only one I wanted"
"I've had offers over the past four or five years to coach clubs, but I turned them all down for the French national team," revealed Zidane, who described the position as "a dream."
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