Zinedine Zidane has been officially appointed the new coach of the French national football team. This announcement was made on Tuesday by Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation (FFF). Zidane had long been considered a favored candidate for the position, as he has not held a coaching role since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.
His appointment follows the decision of Didier Deschamps to step down after the 2026 World Cup. Under Deschamps’ tenure dating back to 2012, France won the 2018 World Cup and reached the 2022 final, which they lost in penalties. Furthermore, they also fell short in the 2016 European Championship final on home soil. The team’s recent campaign ended in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, where they lost to Spain.
Zidane himself boasts a notable history with the French national side, having made 108 international appearances and scored 31 goals. He was a key member of the squad that secured the World Cup victory in 1998 and the European Championship title in 2000.
