Zinedine Zidane poised to take over France job after Didier Deschamps' 14-year spell
French football is on the brink of a managerial change as the French Football Federation prepares to name Zinedine Zidane as the new men's national team head coach. Federation president will make the announcement Tuesday, with Zidane expected to assume the role following Didier Deschamps' departure after a long tenure.
Didier Deschamps leaves after a successful fourteen-year tenure with the French team, marking the end of an era in the national setup. Zidane is set to return to management after his successful spell with Real Madrid, bringing high-profile coaching experience back into the international game. The incoming coach will oversee preparations for Nations League fixtures scheduled in September, according to the federation's timeline. The appointment represents a rapid succession process overseen at the highest level of French football governance.
The federation president's planned Tuesday announcement has focused attention across French football circles, where supporters and officials alike await formal confirmation. Zidane's prospective appointment follows a considered selection by the governing body, and the timing is shaped by the calendar of international fixtures. With September's Nations League matches on the horizon, the federation has signaled urgency in installing a leader to manage the squad's next competitive window.
Deschamps' fourteen-year spell with the national team concluded ahead of this transition, a stretch the federation characterized as successful. His departure creates a vacancy at the helm that Zidane is expected to fill, returning from a club coaching career to the demands of international management. The change of coach marks a significant shift in leadership style and public profile for the national side.
Zidane's prior achievements at Real Madrid were cited as a central factor in his re-emergence as a managerial candidate for the national team. That period of his career was described within the federation and wider football community as successful, and it figures prominently in expectations for his tenure with France. How his methods will translate back to international competition will be a primary topic once the appointment is formalized.
The new coach will prepare for upcoming Nations League fixtures in September, setting the immediate task for Zidane if the appointment is confirmed. The federation's scheduled announcement on Tuesday will clarify the timeline and next steps for squad selection and preparation ahead of those matches. French football now enters a phase of transition that will be measured by results in the short-term Nations League campaign and by the broader direction the new coach establishes.
