Zinedine Zidane has been officially named the new head coach of the France national team, succeeding Didier Deschamps. The appointment of the 54-year-old, affectionately known as 'Zizou', marks the end of long-standing speculation regarding his interest in the position, which he confirmed was the only job he truly desired during his unveiling in Paris.
Born in 1972 to Algerian parents near the Mediterranean port of Marseille, Zidane grew up on the La Castellane housing estate. His path to football greatness began through the ranks at Cannes before he moved to Bordeaux. His professional rise caught the attention of then-France manager Aime Jacquet, leading to his international debut in August 1994. Zidane became a central figure in French football history, notably captaining the team to its first World Cup victory in 1998 with two headers in the final against Brazil at the Stade de France. He also played a key role in the Euro 2000 triumph and later led the team to the 2006 World Cup final, where his international playing career concluded following a red card against Italy.
After retiring from professional play, Zidane transitioned into management, earning a diploma in sports management from Limoges. Returning to Real Madrid, "the club of (his) life", he variously held the roles of advisor, sporting director, academy coach, assistant coach and eventually head coach. During his tenure as head coach of Los Blancos, he led the team to three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018. He later secured a second Spanish league title during his second stint at the club before departing in 2021.
Deschamps, who captained France to the 1998 title and coached them to a second crown 20 years later, previously praised Zidane's transition, noting, "Already as a player he was extraordinary. He's had a second life as a coach and he is now an extraordinary coach." Zidane now takes over a French squad featuring stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembele. Reflecting on his managerial philosophy, Zidane stated, "I am not the best coach tactically, but I have other things. I know very well how the dressing room and a player's head works, and that for me is very important."
From that first international call-up aged 22 in August 1994, Zidane went on to write football history.
Just four years later, he had moved to Italian powerhouses Juventus and Jacquet handed him the No. 10 shirt for France as the country prepared to host the 1998 World Cup.
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