Zinedine Zidane appointed France new head coach
By William Muthama, July 28, 2026The French Football Federation has officially confirmed the appointment of Football legend Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of the France national team on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
The 54-year-old football legend succeeds Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after a remarkable 14-year spell in charge of Les Bleus. During his tenure, Deschamps guided France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 UEFA Nations League title, and the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His reign came to an end after France finished fourth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a semi-final defeat to Spain and a 6-4 loss to England in the third-place playoff.
Widely regarded as one of France’s greatest-ever footballers, Zidane enjoyed an illustrious international career with Les Bleus.
He helped France win the 1998 FIFA World Cup, famously scoring twice in the final against Brazil, before leading the nation to victory at UEFA Euro 2000. Across his international career, Zidane earned 108 caps and scored 31 goals, cementing his status as one of the country’s all-time greats.
Success with Real Madrid
Zidane’s coaching career has been equally impressive, with all of his senior managerial success coming at Real Madrid.
After working as an assistant to Carlo Ancelotti and later coaching Real Madrid Castilla, Zidane was promoted to the first team in January 2016.
During his first spell in charge between 2016 and 2018, he made history by becoming the first manager in the modern era to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles. He also guided Los Blancos to the 2016-17 La Liga title, two UEFA Super Cups, two FIFA Club World Cups and a Spanish Super Cup, achievements that earned him the Best FIFA Men’s Coach award in 2017.
He returned to Real Madrid in 2019 for a second spell, winning another La Liga title and the 2020 Spanish Super Cup before leaving the club in June 2021.
Across both spells, Zidane won 11 major trophies, making him one of the most successful managers in Real Madrid’s history.
New era for Les Bleus
Having been away from management since leaving Madrid five years ago, Zidane now takes on one of the biggest jobs in international football.
He is expected to be joined by long-time assistant David Bettoni and several trusted members of his former Real Madrid coaching staff.
His first competitive match in charge is scheduled for September 25 away to Turkey in the UEFA Nations League, before turning his attention to Euro 2028 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup with a talented French squad led by captain Kylian Mbappé.