Zinédine Zidane appointed new France head coach
Zinédine Zidane has been appointed France head coach, taking over from Didier Deschamps ahead of the team's UEFA Nations League campaign.
Zinédine Zidane has officially been named the new head coach of the France national football team, succeeding Didier Deschamps after his 14-year spell in charge.
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The appointment, confirmed by French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo, had long been expected, with Zidane widely regarded as the leading candidate for the role.
The 54-year-old returns to coaching for the first time since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, where he famously guided the Spanish club to three consecutive Champions League titles.
As a player, Zidane captained France to victory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and won the Ballon d'Or that same year.
He has repeatedly spoken of his ambition to one day manage the national team, describing the position as a lifelong dream.
He takes charge of a France side aiming to bounce back after a disappointing end to the 2026 World Cup, where Les Bleus were knocked out by Spain in the semi-finals before losing to England in the third-place play-off.
Zidane's first match in charge will be against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on 25 September, with long-time assistant David Bettoni joining his coaching staff.
Deschamps leaves behind one of the most successful managerial records in French football history, having led France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2022 World Cup final, and the Euro 2016 final.