Zinedine Zidane appointed as new coach of the French national team
Zinedine Zidane has been named the new coach of the French national team, succeeding Didier Deschamps, the French Football Federation FFF announced. The former midfielder, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, takes over from Deschamps, who coached the team since 2012, concluding his tenure with a 4th place finish at the 2026 World Cup, following a title in 2018 and a final in 2022. Zidane, who had a distinguished playing career culminating in a 2006 World Cup final appearance, later became a successful coach at Real Madrid, winning three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018. His coaching success with star players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, and Sergio Ramos earned him praise, with Luka Modric calling him "one of the best coaches." Zidane's journey began in Marseille, and his career highlights include the 1998 World Cup victory and the Euro 2000 title. After retiring as a player, he pursued coaching and sports management degrees, eventually holding various roles at Real Madrid before becoming head coach in 2016. Known for his unpredictable style as a player, Zidane also demonstrated a surprising approach as a coach, twice leaving Real Madrid when least expected. He stated in 2020 that he doesn't have a career plan, embracing his atypical path. Zidane is now set to lead the French team, aiming for European and World titles in 2028 and 2030, with players like Kylian Mbapp茅 at the forefront.
