Zinedine Zidane officially replaces Didier Deschamps as France manager

French football legend Zinedine Zidane is officially the new manager of the France national team. Federation Francaise de Football officials announced his appointment on Tuesday, confirming he signed a four-year contract. Zidane replaces Didier Deschamps, wrapping up his impressive 14-year tenure following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Deschamps declared his planned exit early last year. Taking over the national squad fulfills a long-standing ambition for Zidane, who previously captained his country to World Cup glory on home soil in 1998.

Real Madrid Glory Days

Zidane brings enormous experience from club football. Four years after retiring as a player, he joined Real Madrid as a special adviser. By 2013, he worked as an assistant coach under Carlo Ancelotti. He took charge of Real Madrid Castilla before replacing Rafael Benitez as senior manager in early 2016.

During his first stint, he led Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles. He resigned just days after securing the club's 13th European Cup. He returned in 2019 after the team struggled under Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari. He secured the Covid-affected 2019-20 La Liga title, adding to his 2017 league win. The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner stepped down again after a trophy-less 2020-21 season and remained without a club since then.

Recent World Cup Heartbreak

France reaches this transition after a tough finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They lost to Spain 2-0 in the semifinals and fell to England 4-6 in the third-place match. Kylian Mbappe shined brightly, finishing as top scorer with 10 goals. He surpassed Lionel Messi's record to become the highest FIFA World Cup scorer ever with 22 goals. Mbappe's remarkable streak from winning the title in 2018 to the 2022 runners-up finish and the 2026 semifinals remains exceptional.

With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI