Zidane appointed France head coach following World Cup exit

The French Football Federation has officially appointed Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of the national team, confirming long-standing speculation that the football legend would succeed Didier Deschamps. The announcement was made on Tuesday by FFF president Philippe Diallo, marking a significant transition for Les Bleus following their fourth-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Zidane, 54, becomes the third former French international player to coach the national side, following Laurent Blanc, who led the team from 2010 to 2012, and Deschamps. The appointment comes two weeks after Deschamps’ tenure ended, with his final match in charge being a 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place playoff, where Jude Bellingham scored the decisive goal in the 90+8th minute.

Deschamps leaves the role after a 14-year period at the helm, during which he oversaw 185 matches and 120 victories. His tenure included guiding France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2020-21 Nations League trophy, and reaching the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. Zidane and Deschamps share a deep historical connection, having been teammates in the 1998 World Cup-winning squad on home soil, where Zidane won the Ballon d’Or.

Zidane’s immediate challenge involves preparing the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. He is scheduled to begin his reign with an away match against Turkiye on 25 September, followed by a game in Belgium on 28 September. The team will then host Italy at the Stade de France on 2 October.

The leadership change follows a semi-final exit at the 2026 World Cup, with the tournament final scheduled for 19 July 2026. Zidane, who previously managed Real Madrid, now assumes responsibility for a squad that has undergone significant changes since the 2018 triumph.