Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach of the France national team, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday, ending years of speculation over the former Real Madrid boss’s return to management.
The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner succeeds Didier Deschamps, whose 14-year tenure came to an end following the 2026 World Cup. Zidane has signed a four-year contract with the national side.
Real Madrid legend succeeds Didier Deschamps
Widely regarded as one of France’s greatest footballers, Zidane begins his first international coaching role after spending the past five years away from management.
Following his retirement as a player, Zidane returned to Real Madrid as an adviser before becoming assistant coach under Carlo Ancelotti in 2013. He later took charge of Real Madrid Castilla before replacing Rafael Benitez as first-team manager in 2016.
During his first spell in charge, Zidane guided Real Madrid to an unprecedented three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, alongside a La Liga crown in 2017.
After stepping down in 2018, he returned to the club in 2019 and led Madrid to another La Liga title in the 2019-20 season before leaving at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
France enter a new era after Deschamps’ successful 14-year reign, during which Les Bleus won the 2018 FIFA World Cup, reached the 2022 World Cup final and advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 edition before bowing out to eventual champions Spain.
Zidane’s appointment marks his first managerial role since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 and reunites one of France’s greatest-ever players with the national team as they begin preparations for the next international cycle.