The French Football Federation (FFF) appointed Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of the French national team for the next four years on Tuesday, succeeding Didier Deschamps.
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The former playmaker, who won the 1998 World Cup with "Les Bleus," takes over from his former teammate Deschamps, who had managed the national team since 2012. Deschamps' tenure concluded with a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup, following a World Cup title in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022.
FFF President Philippe Diallo announced Zidane's appointment during a press conference at the federation's headquarters in Paris, confirming the signature of a four-year contract.
"This is an exceptional moment, made all the more special by the person sitting beside me," Diallo said. "Zinedine is one of the legends of French football, and for years he has said that one of his dreams was to manage the French national team."
Zidane, 54, returns to management for the first time since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.
Diallo added: "I would like to express my gratitude to Didier Deschamps and his staff for the work they have delivered. For 14 years, he led the French national team to the top."
Diallo revealed that he had been in contact with Zidane since February 2025, stating: "I met Zinedine Zidane in February 2025 and reached out to him to offer him the leadership of the French national team."
Zidane earned 108 international caps for France. His previous managerial experience has been exclusively with Real Madrid, which he led across two stints: from 2016 to 2018, and from 2019 to 2021.
During his managerial career, Zidane achieved a historic feat by guiding Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles in 2016, 2017, and 2018—an unprecedented achievement for any manager in the tournament's history.
Zidane taking charge of the French national team had been widely anticipated over recent years, with his name repeatedly linked to the role, particularly in 2018 and 2022, before the FFF renewed its confidence in Didier Deschamps.
Zidane is scheduled to officially begin his duties during the national team camp next September, with his debut match set against Turkey on September 25 in the UEFA Nations League.
