Zidane named France coach on four-year deal
Zinedine Zidane has replaced Didier Deschamps as France coach, ending a five-year wait for the job he said he wanted most.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Zidane named France coach is the line French football has been waiting years to write: Zinedine Zidane has taken over the national team on a four-year contract, replacing Didier Deschamps.
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo announced the appointment at the FFF’s Paris headquarters on Tuesday. The job is Zidane’s first since he stepped down as Real Madrid manager in May 2021.
Diallo called the moment “exceptional” and said Zidane had long made clear that managing France was one of his dreams. Zidane, now 54, arrives as both a national icon and one of the most decorated coaches in the club game.
Who is replacing Didier Deschamps as France coach?
Zidane is replacing Deschamps, his former France teammate, after a 14-year run in charge of Les Bleus. Deschamps took the job in 2012 and left after this summer’s World Cup.
Under Deschamps, France won the 2018 World Cup and reached the finals of the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2016. His final tournament ended with a 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain, followed by a 6-4 loss to England in the third-place playoff.
Zidane said the France job was the one he had been holding out for during his time away from the bench. He said he had received club offers over the past five years but turned them down because the national team was “the only thing” he wanted.
He also praised Deschamps, saying he wanted to congratulate “DD” for his “remarkable years” with France. Zidane described taking charge of the team he once led on the pitch as “an immense joy” and said he was ready for the challenge.
When does Zidane start as France coach?
Zidane’s first matches will come in the autumn UEFA Nations League schedule. France are in a group with Türkiye, Belgium and Italy, with the opener set for Sept. 25 against Türkiye.
After that, Zidane will lead France into qualifying for Euro 2028 next year. Diallo said he had met Zidane for talks in February 2025, after Deschamps had announced he would step aside following the 2026 World Cup.
Zidane’s playing career gives the appointment extra charge in France. He scored twice in the 1998 World Cup final as France beat Brazil in Paris, then helped the country win Euro 2000.
He also won the Ballon d’Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times. In 2006, he was named Player of the Tournament at the World Cup, where France reached the final before losing to Italy in a match remembered for Zidane’s red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi.
As a coach, Zidane built a different kind of legend at Real Madrid. He won three straight Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018 and added two LaLiga titles before leaving the club in 2021.
Now the wait is over. Zidane told reporters he wants to lead through experience, saying the game, goals and his past as a No. 10 are what motivate him as he takes charge of France.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.