Zinedine Zidane appointed as head coach of the French national football team

The French Football Federation has officially announced the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of the French national football team. Zidane succeeds Didier Deschamps, who stepped down from his position following France's fourth-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team was defeated by Spain in the semi-finals.

Zidane has signed a four-year contract with the federation, which officially begins on August 1, 2026. The agreement secures his leadership through the qualification campaign and potential tournament appearance at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2028 UEFA European Championship. The new manager is expected to finalize and announce his coaching staff in early September.

This appointment marks Zidane's return to professional management after five years away from the technical area, having departed Real Madrid at the conclusion of his second spell in 2021. Zidane stated that he turned down all other club offers during his hiatus, electing to wait specifically for the national team role, which he described as the fulfillment of a long-held dream.

According to federation details, a verbal agreement between Zidane and the French Football Federation had been in place since November 2025, establishing that he would assume the role following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. The transition follows a long period of stability under Deschamps, whose departure concluded a highly successful era that included winning the 2018 World Cup.

Zidane's first competitive fixture in charge of Les Bleus will be an away match against Turkiye in the UEFA Nations League, followed by a home fixture against Italy on October 2. The upcoming tournament cycles present Zidane with the task of restructuring the squad and restoring France's position at the summit of international football.