Zinedine Zidane is back in management after a five-year absence because the job he had been waiting for finally became available: head coach of the France national team.
The French Football Federation officially appointed Zidane on July 28, 2026, following Didier Deschamps’ departure after 14 years in charge. Zidane signed a four-year contract designed to take him through the 2030 World Cup. His first competitive match comes against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on September 25. [Reuters]
The appointment ends one of soccer’s longest-running managerial waiting games. Zidane says he rejected multiple club opportunities after leaving Real Madrid in 2021 because coaching France was the job he wanted. His return therefore is less about being persuaded to resume coaching than about finally getting the position he had deliberately kept himself available to accept.
Why Did France Hire Zinedine Zidane?
France needed a new coach after Deschamps stepped down following the 2026 World Cup, and Zidane had long been viewed as the natural successor.
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo said discussions with Zidane began in February 2025, shortly after Deschamps announced that he planned to leave following the World Cup. According to Diallo, France wanted a coach who combined managerial ability with the stature to lead one of the world’s most talented national teams. [Guardian]
Zidane offered both.
He is one of the greatest players in French history, a World Cup winner and former captain, while his first major managerial job produced a historic run of trophies at Real Madrid.
Just as importantly, Zidane had repeatedly made clear that he wanted the France job.
Why Did Didier Deschamps Leave France?
Deschamps had already decided that the 2026 World Cup would mark the end of his extraordinary tenure.
He announced in January 2025 that he would leave when his contract expired after the tournament, meaning France had considerable time to prepare for the transition. [Reuters]
Deschamps had coached France since 2012.
His major accomplishments included:
Winning the 2018 World Cup.
Reaching the 2022 World Cup final.
Reaching the Euro 2016 final.
Winning the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League.
Coaching France for approximately 14 years.
France again went deep into the World Cup in 2026 but lost 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals before losing the third-place match against England. [Le Monde]
His departure was therefore a planned succession rather than a midseason firing.
Why Did Zidane Wait So Long To Coach France?
Because France was the job Zidane wanted.
Zidane had been without a managerial position since leaving Real Madrid in May 2021, creating constant speculation about where he would coach next.
At his France unveiling, Zidane provided a remarkably straightforward explanation for the five-year absence.
He said he had received several club offers during the previous four or five years but rejected them because the French national team was “the only thing I wanted.” [Guardian]
That explains why Zidane was repeatedly linked with major clubs without actually taking another job.
Which Clubs Was Zidane Linked With?
Zidane’s availability made him a frequent candidate whenever one of Europe’s biggest coaching positions opened.
Over the years he was repeatedly linked with potential returns to Real Madrid as well as jobs at Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich.
But none of those possibilities resulted in Zidane returning to club management.
By the latter part of Deschamps’ tenure, the expectation that Zidane was waiting for France had become increasingly strong. Reports that he had agreed to succeed Deschamps intensified during the months before the 2026 World Cup. [Al Jazeera]
How Long Was Zinedine Zidane Out Of Management?
Zidane went approximately five years without coaching a competitive match.
His second spell as Real Madrid manager ended in May 2021. His first France camp did not arrive until September 2026.
That is an unusually long voluntary absence for a coach with Zidane’s résumé.
Kylian Mbappe described finally being coached by Zidane as feeling “like something out of a movie,” reflecting how long the possibility had been discussed in France. [Reuters]
Was Zidane Waiting Specifically For Didier Deschamps To Leave?
Effectively, yes.
Zidane had openly discussed his ambition to coach France for more than a decade.
As far back as 2012, shortly after Deschamps became France coach, Zidane said he hoped to manage the national team one day. He repeated that desire in subsequent interviews, including in 2022 and 2025. [Le Monde]
There was simply no opening.
Deschamps’ sustained success repeatedly extended his tenure. Winning the 2018 World Cup and reaching another final in 2022 made replacing him difficult to justify.
Once Deschamps established 2026 as his departure date, Zidane finally had a clear path to the job.
Why Is Zidane Such An Important Figure For France?
Zidane is not simply a successful former French player. He is one of the defining figures in the history of the national team.
He scored twice in France’s 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final, giving the country its first men’s World Cup championship.
He helped France win Euro 2000 and later captained the national team to the 2006 World Cup final.
Zidane won 108 caps for France and scored 31 goals before retiring from international soccer following the 2006 World Cup.
His final appearance famously ended with his red card for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final, but that incident did little to diminish his long-term status as a French soccer icon.
FFF president Philippe Diallo cited Zidane’s connection with supporters as one of the reasons he was selected, describing him as a French football legend with the ability and stature required for the position. [Guardian]
Was Zinedine Zidane A Successful Manager At Real Madrid?
Extremely.
Zidane’s relatively short managerial career already includes accomplishments most coaches never achieve.
He originally took charge of Real Madrid’s senior team in January 2016.
Madrid then won the UEFA Champions League in 2016, 2017 and 2018, making Zidane the first coach to win three consecutive Champions League titles in the modern competition. [UEFA]
He resigned after the third championship but returned to Madrid in March 2019 and remained until May 2021.
Across his two spells, Zidane’s major trophies included:
3 Champions League titles
2 La Liga titles
2 FIFA Club World Cups
2 UEFA Super Cups
2 Spanish Super Cups
That record is the primary evidence behind France’s confidence that Zidane can handle a squad filled with elite players.
How Did Zidane Manage Real Madrid?
Zidane developed a reputation less for rigid adherence to a single tactical system and more for adaptability, man-management and getting elite players to perform in high-pressure situations.
His Real Madrid teams could change formations and approaches depending on the opponent and available personnel.
That flexibility may be particularly useful in international soccer, where coaches have far less training time with players than club managers.
His France appointment also creates an interesting test of his managerial reputation. Zidane’s Madrid teams contained Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and other established stars, leading to a long-running debate over how much of Madrid’s success should be attributed to tactics versus Zidane’s ability to manage an extraordinary squad. [Guardian]
France gives him another exceptionally talented roster but a very different type of coaching challenge.
What Will Zidane Change About France?
Zidane has deliberately avoided laying out a detailed tactical blueprint before seeing his players together.
At his introductory press conference, he said he first wanted to meet the squad and emphasized the need to keep France winning.
When asked about his preferred style, Zidane pointed to his own background as a No. 10 but stopped short of promising a particular formation. [Guardian]
His first squad did provide some clues.
Zidane introduced several new faces, including Jeremy Jacquet, Andy Diouf and Mathias Da Cunha, while retaining the core of a team that reached the 2026 World Cup semifinals. [Reuters]
One of the biggest questions will be how Zidane organizes France’s enormous collection of attacking talent.
What Kind Of Team Has Zidane Inherited?
Zidane is not taking over a rebuilding national team.
France remains loaded with players who should still be in or near their prime when Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup arrive.
The attacking options include Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue, among others. [Le Monde]
Deschamps himself emphasized the quality of the roster before leaving, saying France possessed young players capable of improving further and remaining among the world’s strongest teams.
Zidane’s challenge is therefore not primarily finding talent. It is determining the best way to organize it.
Will Kylian Mbappe Remain France Captain?
Yes.
Zidane initially declined to settle the captaincy question during his introductory press conference because he wanted to meet with his players first.
By the time he selected his first squad in September, however, he confirmed that Mbappe would continue as France captain. [Reuters]
The pairing is particularly significant because Zidane was one of Mbappe’s childhood idols.
Mbappe has recalled meeting Zidane as a teenager when Zidane invited him to Real Madrid’s training complex. Years later, the two are finally working together for the French national team.
Mbappe described the situation as “like something out of a movie.” [Reuters]
Who Is On Zidane’s France Coaching Staff?
Zidane has surrounded himself with several people he already knows well.
Longtime assistant David Bettoni, who worked alongside Zidane at Real Madrid, is part of his France setup.
Former France goalkeeper and 1998 World Cup teammate Fabien Barthez has also joined the staff as goalkeeping coach. [Morocco World News]
The appointments give Zidane a combination of trusted Real Madrid personnel and figures familiar with the culture of the French national team.
How Long Is Zidane’s France Contract?
Zidane agreed to a four-year contract.
The deal is intended to cover two major tournaments:
Euro 2028
2030 World Cup
That gives France a longer-term project rather than simply appointing Zidane for one tournament cycle. [beIN Sports]
What Is Zidane’s First Game As France Coach?
Zidane’s competitive debut comes against Turkey on September 25, 2026 in the UEFA Nations League.
France then faces Belgium before hosting Italy, giving Zidane several significant tests almost immediately. [Reuters]
Those games mark Zidane’s first competitive coaching appearances since his final Real Madrid season in 2020-21.
Why Is Zidane’s Return Such A Big Deal?
Few coaches return from a five-year absence directly into one of international soccer’s biggest jobs.
Zidane’s case is different because his absence was largely voluntary.
He already possessed one of the strongest résumés of any available manager, and he repeatedly indicated that he wanted to coach France. Deschamps’ longevity simply meant that the position remained occupied.
Once Deschamps announced his departure, the succession became increasingly predictable. By the end of the World Cup, Zidane’s appointment was widely considered an open secret. [Guardian]
What Are Zidane’s Biggest Challenges With France?
Despite the talent available to him, Zidane inherits several important decisions.
He has to determine the best attacking structure around Mbappe, Olise, Doue and Barcola; decide how aggressively France should play against elite opposition; manage the transition from players associated with the Deschamps era; and develop younger players without sacrificing immediate results.
There is also an unusually high standard.
France won a World Cup and reached another final under Deschamps. Simply qualifying for major tournaments or reaching knockout rounds will not represent the same level of achievement.
Zidane’s first major tournament will be Euro 2028, followed by the 2030 World Cup at the end of his initial contract. [Le Monde]
Why Is Zinedine Zidane Coaching France Now?
The timing ultimately comes down to three factors.
Didier Deschamps decided to leave after the 2026 World Cup, creating the first France vacancy since 2012.
The French Football Federation viewed Zidane as the natural successor because of his managerial record and extraordinary status within French soccer.
Zidane wanted this particular job and says he rejected club opportunities while waiting for it to become available.
That makes his return to management unusual. Zidane did not spend five years searching unsuccessfully for another coaching position. By his own account, he spent much of that period waiting for the position he most wanted.
Now the wait is over. More than two decades after helping France become world champion as its iconic No. 10, and five years after his last game as Real Madrid coach, Zidane is beginning the next stage of his career by trying to win major trophies with France from the sideline. [Reuters]
