Zidane signs long-term contract with France national team
Legendary French soccer player and coach Zinedine Zidane has already signed a long-term contract with the French national team and will succeed Didier Deschamps as head coach after the 2026 World Cup.
This was reported by renowned journalist and insider Fabrizio Romano. According to him, a verbal agreement between the parties was reached back in November. Since then, the decision to appoint Zidane has remained unchanged, despite interest in him from various clubs.
Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps, who has led the French national team for 14 years. The French Football Federation announced the coach’s upcoming departure back in January 2025.
Under Deschamps’ leadership, the French national team won the World Cup in 2018, took silver at the 2022 World Cup, and reached the semifinals at the 2026 World Cup. There, the French lost to Spain 0–2 and fell to England 4–6 in the third-place match.
For Zidane, this will be his first experience coaching a national team. He last served as head coach of Real Madrid, which he left in 2021. Since then, the 54-year-old coach has not led any team, although he has regularly been mentioned as a candidate for positions at leading European clubs.
Fabrizio Romano reported this on July 21 on social media platform X.
As a reminder, Spanish national team forward Lamine Yamal was one of the stars of the victory celebration following the team’s win at the 2026 World Cup. During a meeting with the royal family, the soccer player unexpectedly hugged King Felipe VI, breaking with traditional protocol.
ESPN released its symbolic “Team of Disappointments” for the 2026 World Cup.
