Zinedine Zidane’s France appointment sparks debate over questions about his religion

Zinedine Zidane’s return to the France national team as head coach has triggered a political and media row in France after some coverage focused on his Muslim faith, prompting accusations of discriminatory treatment compared with his predecessors.

The French Football Federation recently confirmed that the 54-year-old has been appointed as the new manager of the men’s national side, replacing Didier Deschamps, whose 14-year spell in charge of “Les Bleus” has come to an end.

Zidane’s appointment, celebrated widely in sporting terms, was quickly followed by a wave of commentary in parts of the French press and on social media drawing attention to his religion. That focus has been criticised by observers who say it represents unequal treatment of the new coach and risks stigmatising him.

MP questions why Zidane’s faith is being raised

Abdelkader Lahmar, a French MP for the left-wing party “La France insoumise” and mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin, publicly condemned the line of questioning around Zidane’s faith in a post on X.

Lahmar contrasted the current debate with the way previous France managers were treated at the time of their appointments, arguing that the issue of religion had never been raised in their cases.

He wrote: “We have never asked a question about the religion of Didier Deschamps, Laurent Blanc, Raymond Domenech, Jacques Santini, Roger Lemerre or Aime Jacquet when they were appointed… so why is this question being asked about Zidane, when he has not even been in the job for 24 hours?”

His intervention added a political dimension to what had begun as a media talking point, turning Zidane’s appointment into a new flashpoint in France’s ongoing discussions about identity, religion and public life.

Long-awaited return to the touchline

Zidane, who captained France and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.

His new role with the national team marks a long-anticipated return to coaching. Zidane’s name has regularly been linked with major jobs across Europe since his departure from Real Madrid, where he enjoyed considerable success in two spells in charge.

The Frenchman now succeeds Deschamps, under whom France won the 2018 World Cup and reached the finals of both Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup, bringing to a close one of the longest and most successful tenures in the history of the national side.

While reaction among supporters has largely focused on what Zidane might achieve on the pitch, the controversy over references to his religion has ensured that his appointment has also become a test case for how France discusses the personal beliefs of its leading public figures.