Opinions, analysis and commentary
Zidane takes over a squad built for one tournament that has already passed and needs retooling for one that is still four years away. Deschamps managed France for 14 years and leaves a group anchored by an ageing defence and midfield alongside a strike force still built around Mbappé. The FFF confirmed the appointment on July 28 in Paris, and Zidane’s four-year contract runs through the next World Cup cycle, starting with a Nations League trip to Turkey in September and a home debut against Italy soon after.
The FFF announced Zidane’s appointment on July 28 in Paris. He signed a four-year deal, takes charge on August 1 and plays his first match on September 25 away at Turkey in the Nations League, with a home debut against Italy at the Stade de France on October 2.
Deschamps had announced in January 2025 that he would leave after the tournament, ending a 14-year tenure that produced 185 matches, 120 victories, the 2018 World Cup title and the 2020-21 Nations League crown.
France National Team Managers: Historical Comparison
| Coach | Tenure | Major Results | Key Squad Profile |
| Aime Jacquet | 1993-1998 | WC 1998 won; Euro 96 semi-final | Zidane 26, Henry 20, Desailly 30 |
| Roger Lemerre | 1998-2002 | Euro 2000 won; 2002 WC group exit | Ageing 1998 generation |
| Didier Deschamps | 2012-2026 | WC 2018 won; NL 2021 won; WC 2026 fourth | Mbappé 27, Camavinga 23 |
| Zinedine Zidane | 2026-present | 3 Champions Leagues at Real Madrid; 2030 WC target | Mbappe 31, Zaire-Emery 24, Tel 25 |
Every one of Zidane’s predecessors inherited a different generation problem. His version is a squad that just lost a semi-final it was expected to win.
France finished fourth at the 2026 tournament, losing 2-0 to Spain in the semi-final before falling 6-4 to England in the third-place match. Mbappe finished as the competition’s top scorer with 10 goals, and his 22 career World Cup goals now make him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, though he leaves the summer without a medal to show for it.
Zidane used his first press conference to promise total commitment to keeping the team winning, and coaching staff appointments were confirmed the following September. The scale of the job ahead was clear from the way he framed it: this is a full rebuild, not a maintenance job.
Losing to Spain by two clear goals in the semi-final exposed a midfield that had been managed carefully rather than freshened up across the tournament. The 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place match compounded the damage, turning a difficult exit into a demoralising one.
Mbappe’s individual numbers softened the blow but did not change the result. Ten goals and the all-time World Cup scoring record are rare achievements for any player, yet they came inside a campaign that ended with France leaving the tournament without silverware for the first time since 2010.
Griezmann, born in 1991, will turn 39 in 2030 and is effectively finished at international level. Giroud had already retired from Les Bleus before the 2026 tournament even began, and Varane, born in 1993, will be 37 by the time the next World Cup arrives.
Deschamps-era players born before 1996 face near-complete replacement over the next four years. Zidane inherits an ageing defence and midfield next to a striking unit still carried by Mbappe, which leaves very little margin for a slow start to his tenure.
Camavinga, born in 2002, will be 27 in 2030 and squarely in his prime, while Tchouameni, born in 2000, will turn 30. Tel and Doue, both born in 2005, will be 25, and Zaire-Emery, born in 2006, will be only 24, the youngest of the group Zidane is expected to fast-track into senior roles.
Zidane won three consecutive Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles across two spells at Real Madrid, a trophy record few contemporaries can match, before leaving the club in May 2021 and waiting five years for this exact job. Any serious Zidane France World Cup 2030 rebuild starts with turning that same winning temperament into a young France squad built around Mbappe, Camavinga and the generation coming up fast behind them.
Does Zidane’s Real Madrid pedigree make France the team to beat at the 2030 World Cup? Tell us your pick in the comments.
Why did France part ways with Didier Deschamps?
Deschamps had confirmed in January 2025 that he would leave after the 2026 World Cup. The decision closed out 14 years in charge with 120 wins from 185 matches and the 2018 World Cup title.
What is Zinedine Zidane’s contract length as France coach?
Zidane signed a four-year deal running from August 2026 to the 2030 World Cup. His first match in charge comes on September 25 away at Turkey, with a home debut against Italy on October 2.
How did France perform at the 2026 World Cup?
France finished fourth, losing 2-0 to Spain in the semi-final and 6-4 to England. Mbappe was the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals and became the all-time World Cup leading scorer with 22.
Who could be part of Zidane’s first France squad?
Mbappe, Camavinga and Tchouameni are expected to remain the core of the side. Younger candidates such as Zaire-Emery, Tel and Doue are close to full involvement, with the coaching staff and squad confirmed in September 2026.
What is Zidane’s managerial record at Real Madrid?
Zidane won three Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles across two spells at the club. He left Real Madrid in May 2021 and spent five years waiting before taking the France job.
