Zinedine Zidane: France legend to replace Deschamps as national team coach until 2030

Zinedine Zidane has reached an agreement to take charge of the French national team on a contract running until mid-2030, according to prominent Italian transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Romano said on his official Instagram account on Tuesday evening that the deal was now “sealed”, ending years of speculation over Zidane’s next move in management.

The 54-year-old will succeed Didier Deschamps, who has stepped down after a 14-year spell as head coach of “Les Bleus”.

End of an era, start of another

Deschamps leaves the role as one of France’s most successful managers, having guided the team to the 2018 World Cup title, a runners-up finish at the 2022 World Cup and fourth place at the most recent edition of the tournament this year.

His departure closes a defining chapter for French football, one that included the emergence of a new golden generation and regular deep runs at major tournaments.

Into that vacancy steps Zidane, the iconic former France captain and one of the most decorated managers in recent club football history.

Zidane’s coaching pedigree

Zidane’s appointment ends a long-running saga around his coaching future, frequently linked with both France and leading European clubs since he left Real Madrid in 2021.

During two spells in charge of Real Madrid, first from 2016 to 2018 and then from 2019 to 2021, Zidane built a formidable reputation on the touchline. He led the Spanish giants to three consecutive Champions League titles, an unprecedented feat in the modern era, and captured La Liga twice.

These achievements established him as one of the most sought-after coaches in the world and fuelled recurrent speculation that he was being lined up as Deschamps’ eventual successor.

A legend returns to lead Les Bleus

As a player, Zidane is already etched into French sporting history. He helped France win the 1998 World Cup on home soil and followed that triumph with victory at Euro 2000, underpinning a dominant era for the national side.

At club level, he lifted the 2002 Champions League with Real Madrid, scoring one of the most famous goals in the competition’s history in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

His playing career culminated at the 2006 World Cup, where he captained France to the final against Italy. That match became infamous for his dismissal after a headbutt on Marco Materazzi, a red card that turned his farewell appearance into one of football’s most talked-about moments.

Target: World Cup 2030

Zidane’s mandate will span a full World Cup cycle, with his contract set to run until the summer of 2030. He will be tasked with guiding a new generation of French stars and maintaining the country’s status as a global powerhouse.

With France boasting a deep pool of elite talent scattered across Europe’s top leagues, expectations will be immediate and intense. The federation will hope that Zidane’s stature, experience and track record of handling high-profile dressing rooms at Real Madrid can translate into further international success.

“Zizou” now returns to the international stage not as the playmaker who once defined France, but as the strategist charged with delivering the nation’s next era of glory.