Zinedine Zidane has been named the new head coach of the France national team, signing a four-year contract that begins next month. The announcement, confirmed by the French Football Federation (FFF) executive committee, ends years of speculation that the 1998 World Cup winner would succeed Didier Deschamps.
Emotional unveiling at FFF headquarters
At a press conference on Tuesday, Zidane described the appointment as the culmination of nearly half a decade of waiting. 'I had several offers from clubs in the last four to five years, but I turned them all down for France,' he said. 'The national team is the only thing I wanted. I've been with the French teams since I was a kid, all the way up to the senior team. I'm a bit emotional. You might not be able to tell, but I am incredibly excited.'
FFF president Philippe Diallo confirmed that talks with Zidane began in February 2025, shortly after Deschamps announced he would step down after the 2026 World Cup. 'Zinedine Zidane is one of the legends of French football and he had made it known that it was one of his dreams to manage the French national team,' Diallo said. 'We wanted someone with the aura, the ability, and the hearts of our fans and the French people to manage what is one of the best national teams in the world.'
Public celebration and media frenzy
The roads around the FFF headquarters in Paris were closed off for Zidane's unveiling, with a crowd of France fans gathering outside by the overground Métro tracks, waving flags, flares, and drums. More than a hundred journalists and TV cameras were ushered into the building. L'Équipe's front page simply read 'Il revient' – 'He's back' – echoing the newspaper's 2005 headline when Zidane came out of international retirement as a player.
Zidane's vision for the team
The 54-year-old former Real Madrid manager, who won three consecutive Champions League titles, was light on tactical details but hinted at a change of direction. 'I was a No 10 in my playing days,' he said when asked about style of play. 'Laurent [Blanc] was Laurent, Didier was Didier, and Zizou is Zizou.' He sidestepped a question about whether Kylian Mbappé would retain the captaincy, insisting he needed to meet the team first. 'We need to keep this team winning,' he added, praising their World Cup performance.
Long-term goals and first match
One of Zidane's objectives is to compete with reigning world champions Spain, who have beaten France in three consecutive tournament semi-finals. 'I spent 25 years in Spain and you know what that means,' he said. 'But they won't be the only opponents. You have to beat all of the teams.' His first match in charge will be away to Turkey on 25 September. His homecoming fixture against Italy at the Stade de France, over 20 years after his dramatic headbutt exit in the 2006 World Cup final, promises to be a memorable evening.
