Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach of the French National Team, succeeding Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps took charge of his 187th and final match for France in the third-place play-off, with Zidane expected to be unveiled as his successor soon. The French great has an impressive resume and will be looking to drive France on to another potential World Cup trophy. Mbappe finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner with 10 goals and became the highest goalscorer in the tournament’s history, reaching 22 goals, one more than Lionel Messi.
France’s title bid ended with a 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain, before they were beaten 6-4 by England in the third-place playoff. Mbappe also paid tribute to outgoing France manager Didier Deschamps, who had already announced that the 2026 World Cup would be his final tournament in charge. He said, ‘I have already said what I had to say to Didier, he knows it. Thank you to him, and to all his staff too: physiotherapists, cooks, trainers, drivers, all those people no one ever sees and without whom none of this would be possible.’
Zidane’s first match in charge will come away to Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on September 25, before another away fixture against Belgium three days later. French supporters will get their first chance to see him on the touchline at the Stade de France on October 2 when France host Italy, exactly 20 years after Zidane’s infamous red card in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi. Zidane said, ‘I’ve noted all of the four matches to come, they’re in my head,’ and ‘I have so many emotions, I am ready for the challenge,’ he said. ‘That’s what motivates me.’
Didier Deschamps took charge of the national team in 2012, at a time when Les Bleus were struggling in international football. They had failed to go past the World Cup group stages in 2002 and 2010 and their European Championship performances were below par. Deschamps built a strong squad block by block, which went on to dominate world football for more than a decade under his tutelage. They reached the final of Euro 2016, where they were stunned by Portugal, and then went on to win the 2018 World Cup as they showed their dominance, while Kylian Mbappe announced his arrival at international level.
Zidane also paid tribute to his predecessor, Didier Deschamps, who guided France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title before stepping down after Les Bleus’ semifinal defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup. ‘Today I have the opportunity to be in charge of this team and I will give everything so that this team can win,’ Zidane said. ‘I would also like to congratulate DD,’ he added, showing his respect for the outgoing manager. With Zidane at the helm, France will be looking to bounce back from their World Cup heartbreak and make a strong push for the next major tournament.
