The French Football Federation officially confirmed on Tuesday that Zinedine Zidane has taken over as the manager of the national football team. This move follows the recent exit of Didier Deschamps. Zidane, 54, has been the primary choice for the position for quite some time, having spent years preparing for the chance to lead his country.
Didier Deschamps concludes a tenure that started in 2012, which included a World Cup victory in 2018 and an appearance in the final in 2022. Deschamps stepped down after the squad placed fourth in their most recent World Cup campaign. Zidane, who played alongside Deschamps in the 1998 World Cup winning squad, has been away from management since parting ways with Real Madrid in 2021.
During his press conference at the FFF headquarters in Paris, Zidane expressed that the French national team position was his singular goal. He noted that he declined various club management offers over the last several years to remain available for this specific opportunity. Zidane previously managed Real Madrid, where he secured three back-to-back Champions League trophies between 2016 and 2018.
