The French Football Federation has officially appointed Zinedine Zidane as head coach of the French national team on a four-year contract, ushering in a new era for Les Bleus following the departure of Didier Deschamps.
Zidane, who inspired France to victory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup as a player, succeeds his former teammate Deschamps, whose 14-year tenure ended after France finished fourth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Deschamps guided the national team to World Cup glory in 2018 and another final appearance in 2022.
Speaking after the announcement at the French Football Federation headquarters on Tuesday, the 54-year-old described the appointment as the fulfillment of a long-held ambition.
“Coaching the French national team is the only thing I wanted to do,” Zidane said, adding that taking charge of Les Bleus represents both a natural continuation of his football journey and the realization of a dream.
The former France captain revealed that he had turned down several club coaching offers over the past four to five years because his priority was always to lead the national team.
Zidane has been out of coaching since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, where he enjoyed remarkable success, winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns during two spells in charge.
He now begins the challenge of leading one of world football’s strongest national teams as France prepares for the next international cycle under one of its greatest-ever players.
