According to the newspaper, Zidane will replace former teammate Didier Deschamps as France national team coach.
Published March 24, 2026
French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over as head coach of the national team after this summer’s FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported on Monday.
Zidane, 53, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Fédération Française des Football to replace Didier Deschamps, who has held the role since 2012.
Zidane, who managed LaLiga powerhouse Real Madrid for two spells (2016-18 and 2019-21), had long been expected to eventually become France’s captain.
As a player, the dynamic midfielder won the 1998 Ballon d’Or and won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times (1998, 2000, 2003).
He helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and finished runners-up in 2006. He headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest during the second half of the World Cup final, and was infamously sent off.
