Zinedine Zidane has been named the new head coach of the French national football team, replacing Didier Deschamps after France's fourth-place finish at the World Cup. The appointment was announced by the French Football Federation on Wednesday.
Zidane, 52, returns to coaching after a three-year hiatus following his departure from Real Madrid in 2021. During his two stints at Real Madrid, he won three consecutive Champions League titles and two La Liga championships. He has long been considered a top candidate for the France job, having previously turned down other national team and club offers to wait for this opportunity.
According to reports, Zidane said that coaching France was the only role he wanted, and he rejected all other approaches. He takes over a squad that includes stars like Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, who were part of the team that reached the World Cup semifinals before losing to Argentina.
The French federation's president, Noël Le Graët, confirmed the appointment in a statement, saying Zidane's experience and leadership make him the ideal choice to lead Les Bleus. Zidane's contract runs through the 2026 World Cup, with an option to extend.
Zidane's first matches in charge will be European Championship qualifiers in March. He faces the challenge of rebuilding a team that underperformed at the World Cup, but his track record suggests he is well-suited to the task.