Zinedine Zidane has said he turned down multiple opportunities in order to take charge of France, insisting the national team role was “the only thing” he wanted as he was unveiled as Didier Deschamps’ successor in Paris.
The 54-year-old will become the first new face on the France touchline in 14 years when he starts work ahead of September’s international window, following Deschamps’ decision to step down after the 2026 World Cup. The appointment had been widely expected, with BBC Sport reporting that talks between Zidane and the French football authorities began as early as February 2025.
“I had several offers in the last four or five years, but I turned them all down,” Zidane said at his unveiling. “The national team is the only thing I wanted.”
What Zidane did — and didn’t — reveal at his unveiling
Zidane’s first press conference as France coach was heavy on emotion and light on specifics. Asked about Kylian Mbappe’s captaincy, Zidane declined to be drawn into immediate decisions, saying: “The most important thing for him now is to rest, we’ll have the chance to speak in September.”
He also resisted offering a tactical roadmap, telling reporters: “I can’t explain to you in just a couple of words how we’re going win. I have to arrive, meet with the players, and explain my plans to them. After that, it’ll be up to me to keep this team winning.”
Still, there were hints of the direction of travel. Zidane confirmed his intention “to do things differently” while stressing there would be continuity with the work of Deschamps, whom he praised.
“I’m going to try do what I know how to, but it won’t be a complete break either.”
That balancing act matters. Deschamps’ France were often defined by pragmatism and game-state management, but they also arrive at this handover with an attacking platform already in place: the BBC report notes France scored 20 goals in North America at the 2026 World Cup, a return that gives Zidane a base to build on rather than rebuild from scratch.
Why this is a different challenge to Real Madrid
Zidane’s club coaching pedigree is not in question — his Real Madrid side won the UEFA Champions League three times under his management — but the France job brings a different set of pressures and rhythms. It is also, as the BBC points out, only the second senior coaching post of his career, and he has been out of management for five years.
Zidane acknowledged the step into international football is new territory, but framed it as a destination he has deliberately chosen rather than a leap taken out of convenience.
“It’s new to me, but I’m not scared. This is what I wanted.”
In practical terms, the biggest shift is time: fewer training sessions, less day-to-day control, and a heavier reliance on clarity of messaging. At club level, Zidane could shape patterns over weeks; with France, he must transmit ideas quickly and trust elite players to execute them after minimal on-pitch rehearsal.
Yet that same reality can also play to his strengths. Zidane’s reputation has long been tied to dressing-room authority and calm, particularly in environments filled with star power. That is central to the brief with international football’s most talent-rich squad — and central to the question the appointment raises: can he harness it consistently?
Star power, roles, and the “number 10” clue
Zidane offered one of his clearest signals when discussing attacking intent and roles between the lines. “I was a number 10 as a player,” he said, hinting he may preserve the kind of central creative role that Michael Olise “thrived in for much of the summer,” according to the BBC report.
He also underlined his motivation in simple terms: “What motivates me is the game, it’s scoring goals.” That does not automatically promise a radical stylistic break — Zidane and Deschamps are both 1998 World Cup winners and share a pragmatic streak — but it does suggest France’s huge attacking depth will remain the team’s calling card rather than an optional extra.
Reaction: “Welcome home” and a wave of optimism
The initial reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Zidane was met by supporters carrying flares and banners as he left the French Football Federation’s headquarters, while Mbappe posted “Welcome home” on Instagram later in the day, as reported by the BBC.
Former France international Bixente Lizarazu also welcomed the appointment, telling France Info: “It’s a great day for French football. He is more than fit to manage Les Bleus, given what he did at Real Madrid with great players and big egos.”
That last point is the crux. France’s squad is not short of quality; the challenge is aligning it into a stable hierarchy of roles, responsibilities and selection decisions — and doing so without the daily contact club managers enjoy.
Infographic-style stats block
New France coach: Zinedine Zidane
Replaces: Didier Deschamps (stepping down after 2026 World Cup)
First new France touchline face in: 14 years (from September)
Reported talks began: February 2025 (per BBC Sport)
France goals at 2026 World Cup: 20 (per BBC Sport)
What happens next is likely to be defined less by immediate tactical overhauls and more by selection calls, leadership decisions and how Zidane blends “continuation” with the “different” approach he has promised. The first real answers will come in September, when Zidane finally gets the chance to meet his players, set his stall out, and begin the task he says he has been waiting years to take on: keeping France winning.
