Zinedine Zidane will officially return to football management on Tuesday when the French Football Federation unveils him as Didier Deschamps’ successor. The appointment marks the end of a five-year absence from the dugout for the 1998 World Cup winner, who has been widely tipped to take charge of Les Bleus.
The French FA has scheduled a press conference in Paris to confirm what has become the worst-kept secret in French football. Zidane, who lifted the World Cup and European Championship as a player for France, steps into the role following Deschamps’ 14-year tenure.
Proven pedigree at club level
Zidane arrives with an exceptional managerial CV from his time at Real Madrid. He remains the only coach in history to win three consecutive Champions League titles, achieving the feat in 2016, 2017 and 2018. During two spells at the Bernabéu, he also extracted the best from a galaxy of stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modrić and Casemiro.
However, the 52-year-old has been without a job since resigning from Madrid in 2021 after a trophyless campaign. His last competitive match came nearly four years ago, raising questions about how he will adapt to the rhythm of international football.
Tactical philosophy and squad riches
Those who worked under Zidane describe a coach who prioritises player expression over rigid systems. “My target is that players have fun on the pitch,” he said during his first Madrid press conference. He favours tactical flexibility, having deployed formations ranging from 4-3-3 to a diamond midfield with a classic number ten—a role he famously occupied during his own playing career.
According to L’Equipe, Zidane has been encouraged by France’s recent shift towards a more proactive, attacking style following a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign. The newspaper suggests Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise has caught Zidane’s eye as a potential creative fulcrum, with the 23-year-old having recently become the first player to register seven assists at a single World Cup.
The new manager inherits a squad brimming with elite talent. William Saliba, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé offer a blend of youth and experience that mirrors the star-studded Madrid dressing rooms Zidane previously commanded.
Man-management and national team challenges
Zidane’s greatest strength may lie in his ability to handle oversized egos. “I worked with many coaches and some gifted players who had big egos. I know the dressing room and I know very well how players think,” he once noted. Former Madrid midfielder Isco echoed this sentiment, stating: “He is one of the best players in the history of football. So you pay attention to anything he has to say.”
International management presents a different challenge to club football, with less time on the training ground and greater emphasis on motivation and harmony. Yet Zidane’s aura—Mbappé was only seven years old when Zidane dazzled against Brazil in the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals—should command immediate respect from a generation who grew up idolising him.
The French FA will hope that Zidane’s blend of tactical acumen and emotional intelligence can restore Les Bleus to the summit of world football after the relative disappointment of recent tournaments.