After 12-years in charge of Les Bleus, Didier Deschamps closed an era in which he made the France National Team a dominant force once again, having made nearly 30% of their entire footballing history by amassing 290 caps both as player and manager.
Given he is bowing out with two World Cup trophies delivered both as captain and coach, it would naturally be an impossible task to replace a man of his achievements. In fact, it would not be an ordinary kind of replacement.
Zinedine Zidane epitomises this fact following his official unveiling as new France coach, which in all honesty was perhaps the worst kept secret in football.
On September 1, 2026, Zidane will officially step into the dugout as the new sheriff in town. The appointment resolves half a decade of speculation, patience, and deliberate self-imposed exile.
The last time Zidane stepped inside a dugout was in May 2021 during a second stint as manager of Real Madrid. Over the next five years, he received offers from several glamorous clubs to pursue - and finally get the only job that ever truly mattered to him.
Why Zidane Waited For The France Job
After enjoying two separate stints as Madrid manager, winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles during the first, Zidane was courted by the richest clubs in world football.
Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and several Gulf-backed ventures offered him blank cheques. He rejected every single one.
For five years, Zidane removed himself from professional football's daily noise. He lived quietly in Spain, spent time as a father and grandfather, attended charity events, and made discreet appearances, such as sitting incognito in a baseball cap and sunglasses in the VVIP stands at both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup tournaments to watch his son, Luca represent Algeria, the country of birth of Zidane's parents.
Crucially, he refused to show any form of putting unnecessary pressure on Deschamps. Unlike Germany coach Jurgen Klopp, who appeared to cast a shadow on Julien Nagelsmann while working as a pundit for Magenta TV during the World Cup, Zidane chose silence.
"There was a compulsion to be respectful of Deschamps, the players, and what they aspired to do together without him hovering over it all like a distraction," noted The Athletic.
"I had several offers from clubs in the last four to five years, but I turned them all down for France. The national team is the only thing I wanted. I’ve been with the French teams since I was a kid, all the way up to the senior team." said Zidane during his official unveiling as France head coach.
Why Managing France Was Always Zidane's Dream
For Zidane, the French national team is his ultimate footballing love affair. Back in 2022, during a rare, four-hour 50th-birthday interview with L’Équipe, Zidane laid bare his motivation.
"I want to come full circle with the French national team. I experienced this French team as a player. And it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! It’s the pinnacle... If it’s meant to be, it will be."
Although Deschamps brought structural stability after taking over from Laurent Blanc in 2012, Zidane possesses a cinematic aura that mixes Hollywood star power with religious reverence in French sports culture.
From his iconic two goals in the 1998 World Cup final that saw his image projected onto the Arc de Triomphe, to his raw, human exit in the 2006 final for headbutting Italy opponent Marco Materazzi, Zidane embodies national consciousness.
Returning to lead Les Bleus to the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup represents the final, unwritten chapter of his footballing legacy.
"I’ve been watching France as a supporter, but also as a future manager. I don’t think there are any traps. It’s new to me, but I’m not scared. This is what I wanted. It’s an immense joy... I am ready for the challenge." Zidane further noted during his unveiling.
What Zidane Inherits As France Head Coach
Taking over a national team often requires a painful rebuilding phase. But Deschamps leaves behind an elite squad featuring potent attackers like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue, progressive midfield engines like Eduardo Camavinga, Warren Zaire-Emery as well as world class stoppers like William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano.
Deschamps inherited a vehicle that needed re-oiling two years after their infamous 2010 World Cup debacle. Zidane is now arriving to release the handbrake.
Having managed Real Madrid's Galacticos to unprecedented European dominance, Zidane's supreme asset is his man-management and ability to keep elite dressing rooms calm under extreme pressure.
His transition from Deschamps’ mid-block pragmatism to an expressive, attack-minded setup promises to unlock France’s potential creativity while maintaining structural balance.
Zidane’s first game will be against Italy, just over 20 years after his dramatic exit from the international stage.
