Zinédine Zidane will be unveiled as the new manager of the France national team on Tuesday, marking his return to the dugout four years after leaving Real Madrid. The appointment brings one of football’s most successful modern coaches back to the sport’s highest level.
The 1998 World Cup winner has remained outside management since departing the Santiago Bernabéu in 2021. His return sees him take charge of the national side he represented with distinction as a player, including captaining Les Bleus to their maiden World Cup triumph on home soil.
Contract and Timeline
Zidane is expected to sign a four-year deal with the French Football Federation. The agreement would secure his position through to the 2030 World Cup, giving him the opportunity to oversee two complete major tournament cycles with the current generation of French talent.
This long-term commitment suggests a strategic approach to squad development, allowing time to integrate emerging players while maintaining the competitive standards set during recent successful eras for the national team.
Immediate Challenges
The new manager’s first competitive fixture presents a stern examination. France will travel to Turkey in late September for their opening match of the 2026-2027 Nations League campaign. The away fixture offers Zidane an early opportunity to assess his squad against organised opposition in a high-stakes competitive environment.
The Nations League assignment begins a new chapter for a side seeking to reclaim its position at the summit of international football. Zidane’s record of three consecutive Champions League victories with Real Madrid demonstrates his capacity to manage elite talent, though the rhythms of international football differ markedly from club management.
His appointment concludes the search for a permanent manager and establishes a clear direction as France prepare for the upcoming qualifying campaigns and future tournament ambitions.