Zinedine Zidane named new France head coach following World Cup

What the report says

Al Jazeera, carrying a Reuters report, says the French Football Federation has appointed Zinedine Zidane as France’s new men’s national team head coach. The federation announced the move on X on Tuesday, and Zidane was presented at FFF headquarters in Paris on July 28, 2026, according to the report. The change follows France’s fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup and the end of Didier Deschamps’ long spell in charge.

Zidane, 54, is a former France midfielder and ex-Real Madrid manager. Al Jazeera reported that his first assignment is expected to be an away UEFA Nations League match against Turkiye, followed by a home game against Italy at the Stade de France on October 2. The appointment puts one of France’s most celebrated former players in charge of a squad coming off another deep World Cup run but also a high-scoring 6-4 loss to England in Deschamps’ final match.

Deschamps leaves after 14 years as head coach, having overseen 185 games and 120 wins. His tenure included the 2018 World Cup title, the 2020-21 Nations League trophy, and runner-up finishes at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. Zidane and Deschamps were also teammates when France won the 1998 World Cup on home soil.

The appointment is significant because Zidane’s playing legacy is closely tied to France’s modern football identity. He earned 108 caps, scored 31 international goals, helped deliver the 1998 World Cup, and won the Ballon d’Or that year.