Zinédine Zidane Named France Headvert Coach, Fulfilling Lifelong Ambition

Zinédine Zidane has been appointed head coach of the France males’s nationwide group, the French Football Federation introduced Tuesday, bringing certainly one of soccer’s most celebrated figures into the function he had lengthy recognized because the defining ambition of his post-playing life.

The FFF confirmed Zidane’s appointment following an Executive Committee assembly Tuesday morning. He formally takes up his duties on Aug. 1 on a four-year contract working by way of the 2030 World Cup, succeeding Didier Deschamps, who led France from 2012 and stepped down after the group’s semi-final exit on the 2026 World Cup.

Speaking at an introductory press convention at FFF headquarters in Paris, Zidane struggled to include his feelings. “It is an immense joy, sincerely,” he stated. “I am happy about what is happening to me today — becoming the sélectionneur of the France national team. I have no words.” Composing himself, he added: “I have spent the last four to five years waiting for this day. I am deeply moved.”

In French soccer, the title sélectionneur refers back to the head coach of the nationwide group, reflecting the duty of choosing the squad for worldwide competitors.

The appointment had been quietly within the works for properly over a 12 months. FFF President Philippe Diallo revealed that Deschamps had knowledgeable the federation in January 2025 of his intention to not proceed after the World Cup, and that he and Zidane met the next month to start constructing towards the function. “Since then, we met on several occasions to gradually build towards his arrival,” Diallo stated. “Our exchanges gave rise to the meeting of two desires: Zinédine’s — who had made known that one of his dreams was to lead the national team — and that of the FFF to have someone with the stature, the competence, the heart of our fans and of the French people.” Zidane himself was extra blunt concerning the timing: “Once Didier had made and announced his decision, in January 2025, to stop at the end of the 2026 World Cup, I was driven by the desire to be the one who came next. We met in February with the president, and the agreement was sealed at that point.”

The declaration ends 5 years during which Zidane, regardless of his profile and his report, conspicuously declined membership teaching alternatives after leaving Real Madrid in 2021 — a choice he defined merely on Tuesday. “I did not take on clubs for that reason,” he stated. “The only thing I wanted to do after Madrid was to coach the France national team.”

It is a reunion with a program that formed him. As a participant, Zidane rose by way of each degree of the French youth system earlier than incomes 108 senior caps and scoring the long-lasting brace within the 1998 World Cup remaining on the Stade de France that is still some of the euphoric moments in French sporting historical past. He gained Euro 2000 with the identical squad and ended his taking part in profession on the night time of the 2006 World Cup remaining — a match finest remembered for the headbutt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi that earned him a purple card in additional time, minutes earlier than France misplaced on penalties. As a coach, he returned to dominance at membership degree, profitable three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018 earlier than retiring from administration a second time in 2021.

Zidane turns into the 18th sélectionneur within the senior France nationwide group’s historical past since Henri Guérin in 1964. He has confirmed that his backroom workers — largely carried over from his Real Madrid years, with “two or three additions” — is already in place, although it is not going to be formally launched till September.

On the type of soccer France will play underneath him, Zidane provided an early sign whereas deferring the fuller image to a September press convention. “I am driven by the game,” he stated. “I was a number 10, and what drives me is scoring goals — even if a team balance is obviously necessary.” He added: “It will resemble what I did at Real Madrid. The France national team is the natural continuation for me.”

On the captaincy — one of many extra conspicuous open questions given Kylian Mbappé’s standing because the group’s figurehead — Zidane was cautious. “We have not spoken with Kylian,” he stated. “The most important thing for him is to rest after his season and the World Cup. We will have the opportunity to talk about it with him and all the players soon — from September.”

Diallo took pains on Tuesday to border the transition as continuation slightly than rupture. “I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work of Didier and his staff, and to honour him, for he led our France national team to the very top — winning the World Cup title in 2018,” the FFF president stated. “At the moment when a cycle comes to an end, it is important to acknowledge the work that has been done.” Zidane echoed the sentiment, drawing a distinction between change and discontinuity: “DD is DD, Laurent Blanc is Laurent Blanc, Zizou is Zizou. There is no rupture — it is continuity, to ensure the France national team continues to win.”

Zidane’s first official fixture is an away Nations League match in opposition to Turkey in Group A1 on Sept. 25, adopted by Belgium away (Sept. 28), Italy at house on the Stade de France (Oct. 2) and Belgium at house (Oct. 5). The group additionally features a house match in opposition to Turkey in Bordeaux on Nov. 15, with Nations League quarter-finals in late March 2027 for individuals who qualify. The Italy fixture — his first house sport as France coach, in opposition to the nation and the group that outlined the ultimate chapter of his taking part in profession — drew a pointed, understated comment on Tuesday. “I have been working on the preparation for those matches for a little while now,” Zidane stated with a smile. “Especially Italy, because I played there, I speak Italian — well.”

After the press convention, Zidane stepped outdoors FFF headquarters to satisfy supporters who had gathered on the street.