After years of waiting, Zinedine Zidane will officially take charge of the French national team. The 1998 World Cup winner is to be presented this Tuesday at 11 a.m. during a press conference organized by the French Football FederationHe succeeds Didier Deschamps, whose fourteen-year reign ended after the 2026 World Cup.
A highly anticipated presentation this Tuesday morning
The French Football Federation has called a press conference to present the new manager of the French national team. While Zinédine Zidane's name did not appear in the press release announcing the event, his appointment is now considered a certainty. The president of the FFF, Philippe DialloZidane is expected to officially announce his appointment and unveil the initial details of his taking office. This press conference will allow Zidane to speak for the first time as head coach of the French national team. The exact duration of his contract, the composition of his coaching staff, and the broad outlines of his sporting project are also expected to be specified. His contract is scheduled to officially begin on September 1st. The new coach will thus have a few weeks to prepare for his arrival at Clairefontaine, meet with the team's senior players, and finalize his first squad.
Zidane picks up where he left off with the French national team.
For Zinedine ZidaneThis appointment has a special significance. His legend remains inextricably linked to the French national team. Wearing the blue jersey, the playmaker earned 108 caps and scored 31 goals. He won the 1998 World Cup, scoring two goals in the final against Brazil and becoming one of the key figures in France's first World Cup victory. Two years later, he again led Les Bleus to the European Championship title. After an initial international retirement in 2004, he returned to the national team in 2005 to help France qualify for the 2006 World Cup. He ended his playing career after the final defeat against Italy in Berlin. Twenty years after his last match with Les Bleus, Zidane returns to the French national team in a completely different role. He no longer wears the number 10 and the captain's armband: he becomes the one who selects the players, prepares the matches, and takes responsibility for the results.
A return to the bench after a 5-year absence
Zinedine Zidane has not coached since leaving Real Madrid in May 2021. During his two stints at the helm of the Spanish club, from 2016 to 2018 and then from 2019 to 2021, he built an exceptional record. He notably won three consecutive Champions League titles in 2016, 2017, and 2018, a feat never before achieved since the competition's modern format was established. His record at Real Madrid includes eleven trophies, including two Spanish league titles, two Club World Cups, and two UEFA Super Cups. Since leaving Madrid, Zidane had been waiting for the national team coaching job. His name was regularly linked to several major clubs and various national teams, but no project materialized. The announced end of his tenure... Didier Deschamps The 2026 World Cup finally opened the way for him.
Didier Deschamps will have stayed for 14 years, a record
Zidane takes the helm of a team coming off a record 14 years under Didier Deschamps. Appointed in 2012, the former captain of the 1998 World Cup champions managed 185 matches, with 120 wins, 35 draws, and 30 losses. Deschamps won the 2018 World Cup and the Nations League 2021He also reached the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. His last tournament ended with a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup, after a defeat against Spain in the semi-finals and then a spectacular loss to England in the third-place match. The change of manager therefore marks a historic break. Since 1998, Deschamps and Zidane have been two central figures in the greatest successes of French football. After sharing the pitch and winning the World Cup and then the Euros together, they now take turns at the helm of Les Bleus.
David Bettoni expected to be part of the new coaching staff
Part of Zinedine Zidane's staff is expected to be presented at the same time as him. David Bettoni, his trusted assistant at Real MadridHamidou Msaidie, who also worked with him in Spain, is expected to join the coaching staff. Grégory Dupont is tipped to return to a role in physical preparation, while Stéphane Planque could join the player scouting team. Dr. Hervé Collado is also slated to head the medical department. The exact responsibilities of each individual will be confirmed during the presentation.
Debut in Türkiye as early as September 25th
Zinedine Zidane's first mission will be the League of NationsFrance will begin their campaign with a trip to Turkey on Friday, September 25. Three days later, they will face Belgium in Brussels. France will then return to the Stade de France on October 2 against Italy, before hosting Belgium on October 5. Four matches will thus be played in just ten days to kick off the new manager's tenure. Zidane will inherit a squad led by Kylian Mbappé and composed of many players already established at the highest European level. His first squad list will reveal his choices, the experienced players he intends to rely on, and any potential new faces called up to usher in this new era.
A legend faces the challenge of being on the bench for the French national team.
Zinedine Zidane has already won everything with the French national team as a player. Now he must try to extend that legacy as manager. His presentation this Tuesday officially opens one of the most anticipated chapters in French football history. After five years away from the sidelines and twenty years after his last appearance in the blue jersey, Zidane finally returns to Clairefontaine. The former number 10 becomes the leader of Les Bleus, with his first challenge coming in September and an immense task: to transform his legendary past into a new era of victory for the French national team.
