One of the greatest soccer players in French history will now lead the men’s national team. Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach, a role he officially took on as of Tuesday.
The 54-year-old Zidane has signed a four-year contract with the team.
Zidane steps into big shoes, as France has consistently performed well in recent World Cups. They achieved fourth place this year, finished as runners-up in 2022, and claimed victory in 2018.
Advertisement
The previous head coach, Didier Deschamps, had announced that the upcoming 2026 World Cup would be his last, paving the way for Zidane’s arrival.
It’s hard to envision a more qualified successor. Zidane was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or in 1998, contributing to France’s 1998 World Cup victory.
Transitioning to coaching, Zidane made headlines while managing Real Madrid. Under his leadership, the club won three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
Advertisement
After resigning in 2018, he returned to Real Madrid the following year, continuing to coach until 2021.
During an introductory press conference on Tuesday, Zidane stated this was the only job he wanted after his time with Real Madrid, according to National News.
“For me, it’s a continuity, a dream. I turned down many offers to take charge of a club over the past four or five years. After Real Madrid, there was only one job I wanted: to become head coach of France.”
With Zidane at the helm, France is expected to be a formidable competitor in the upcoming 2030 World Cup, especially with the support of 2026 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé, as they aim to meet high expectations each time they take the field.