Mbappe hails Zinedine Zidane’s France appointment with four-word message: ‘Welcome home, coach’

Kylian Mbappe has publicly welcomed Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as France head coach, sending a brief but pointed message of support to the new manager after his confirmation by the French Football Federation (FFF).

Zidane, who replaces Didier Deschamps after a 14-year spell in charge of Les Bleus, will officially begin his tenure next month. The FFF announced that the former Real Madrid coach, a three-time consecutive Champions League winner with the Spanish club, will take over from 25 September, starting with a match against Turkey.

Mbappe, the captain of the French national team and now a Real Madrid player, responded swiftly to the news. In a short statement addressed to Zidane, he wrote: “اهلا بك في بيتك” – “Welcome home” – a phrase widely interpreted as a warm endorsement from the dressing room leader for the national icon’s return in a new role.

The message underlined the esteem in which Zidane is held by the current generation of France players and signalled a smooth transition as the squad prepares to work under one of the country’s greatest footballing figures.

New era after Deschamps’ successful reign

Zidane’s appointment marks a significant turning point for the French national team following a highly successful era under Deschamps. During his 14 years in charge, Deschamps led France to the 2018 World Cup title, reached the 2022 World Cup final and won the UEFA Nations League.

The FFF’s decision to hand the reins to Zidane is seen as the second major managerial challenge of his career, coming after his trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid. With the Spanish giants, Zidane established himself as one of Europe’s leading coaches, adding to his legendary status as a former France midfielder and World Cup winner.

The federation has made clear that Zidane’s arrival is central to a broader project built around a new generation of French talent. As part of that strategy, the FFF had already confirmed Mbappe as the official captain of the national team, underlining a commitment to leadership from the emerging core of players.

High expectations for Zidane’s France

Zidane now faces the task of maintaining – and potentially elevating – the standards set under Deschamps. France have been among the world’s most consistent national sides in recent years, regularly contending for major trophies and assembling one of the deepest squads in international football.

In his new role, Zidane will be expected to keep France competing at the top level in both continental and global competitions, sustaining their recent record of challenging for titles. The opening fixture of his reign against Turkey on 25 September will offer the first insight into how he intends to shape the team.

The combination of Zidane’s global stature and Mbappe’s status as captain positions France at the start of a clearly defined new cycle, with the federation hoping that the respect commanded by both figures will help steer Les Bleus through their latest phase of evolution while remaining contenders for the game’s biggest prizes.