Zinedine Zidane appointed coach of France
- By AFP -
- Jul 28, 2026
After years of speculation, Zinedine Zidane has finally returned to coaching, as he has been appointed as the coach of France.
Legendary midfielder Zinedine Zidane will replace Didier Deschamps as the head coach of Les Bleus national team, according to an official announcement Tuesday by French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo.
Zidane, 54, has long been viewed as the leading candidate for the role and has been waiting for an opportunity to take charge of the national team for several years. He has not coached since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.
During his time with the Spanish giants, the midfield great led them to three consecutive Champions League titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018 – an unprecedented achievement in the competition’s modern era.
Deschamps has coached France since 2012 and stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, where Les Bleus lost in the semifinals to Spain.
France won the World Cup under Deschamps in 2018 and lost the final on penalties in 2022. Les Bleus also lost the European Championship final on home soil in 2016.
𝗭𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗭𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗘, 𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗩𝗘𝗔𝗨 𝗦𝗘́𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗥 𝗗𝗘 𝗟’𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗣𝗘 𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 🐓🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/5ocGyYETNm
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 28, 2026
Zidane is set to follow in the footsteps of former international teammates Laurent Blanc, who coached the national side from 2010 to 2012, and Deschamps.
He was France’s playmaker when it won the 1998 World Cup, scoring twice in the final in a 3-0 win against Brazil, and starred two years later when France won the European Championship.
Zidane won the men’s Ballon d’Or in 1998.
He played 108 games for France scoring 31 goals, including a deft Panenka-style penalty in the 2006 World Cup final, which Les Bleus lost after he was sent off in extra time for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest.
France’s next games are away to Turkey in the Nations League on September 25, followed by a match in Belgium three days later. France then faces Italy at the Stade de France on October 2.