Zinedine Zidane has been named the new head coach of France, succeeding Didier Deschamps.
The 54-year-old Zidane is regarded as one of the greatest players in France’s history, having led the national team to victory in the 1998 World Cup, along with a successful coaching career that included three Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, made the announcement of Zidane’s hiring at FFF headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, revealing that he has signed a four-year contract.
“This is an extraordinary moment, particularly because of the individual here beside me,” said Diallo. “Zinedine is a legend in French soccer, and he has expressed for many years that coaching the French team has been one of his dreams.”
Zidane has been unemployed since stepping down as Madrid’s manager in May 2021 and has long been expected to take over from Deschamps.
“For me, this is a continuation of a dream,” Zidane remarked. “I received several offers to manage clubs during my five years away, but I turned them all down for the chance to coach the France team. This is all I wanted to do.”
Zidane expressed his excitement about leading the team he once played for, stating, “I have so many emotions and I’m fully prepared for this challenge. That’s what pushes me forward.”
“Today, I have the opportunity to lead this team and I’ll invest everything I have to ensure we succeed. I also want to commend DD [Deschamps] for his remarkable years of service.”
Diallo noted that he met with Zidane for discussions in February 2025, after Deschamps announced his intention to step down following the 2026 World Cup.
“What drives me is the game itself; I was a No. 10 and I enjoy scoring goals,” Zidane said. “I was a leader on the pitch, and now I want to leverage that leadership through experience.”
Deschamps, a former teammate of Zidane, had been at the helm of the French team for 14 years, taking over in 2012 and concluding his term after this summer’s World Cup.
During his tenure, a talented generation of French players secured the 2018 World Cup trophy and finished as runners-up in both the 2022 World Cup and the 2016 European Championship.
Zidane will now direct France in the upcoming matches of the UEFA Nations League, leading into the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign next year.
France is set to compete in their Nations League group against Türkiye, Belgium, and Italy, starting with Türkiye on September 25.
Zidane’s illustrious playing career includes winning the Ballon d’Or and three FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
He scored twice in the 1998 World Cup final, leading France to victory over Brazil in Paris and followed up with a win in Euro 2000.
In 2006, he earned Player of the Tournament honors as France reached another World Cup final, though his match ended with a red card for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi.
Retiring as a player in 2006, Zidane transitioned to a highly successful coaching career, highlighted by three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid from 2016 to 2018, along with two La Liga championships.
This summer, France entered the World Cup as favorites but was eliminated 2-0 by Spain in the semifinals, and subsequently lost 6-4 to England in the third-place playoff.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.