"The only national team I would ever consider was my own." Zinedine Zidane meant it — and after five years out of the game, France finally gave him the opportunity to prove it.
Zidane has been officially confirmed as Les Bleus' new head coach, taking over from Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after 14 years in the role following this summer's World Cup. It was, as these things often are in French football, an open secret. Deschamps was always going to hand over to Zizou when the moment came. The moment has come.
Why now, and why this job specifically
The five-year absence wasn't idleness — it was a deliberate reset. During that stretch, Zidane turned down approaches from PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and reportedly the United States and Brazil national setups. None of them moved him. The France job was the only one worth leaving home for.
There's an obvious parallel with Jürgen Klopp, who similarly spent time away before resurfacing at international level. Both men concluded the same thing: the relentless grind of club management isn't worth returning to. National team football — less travel, longer preparation windows, no transfer window chaos — suits a coach coming back from a deliberate break.
Zidane stayed connected during his time away through UEFA and FIFA events and ambassadorial work. And with all four of his sons — Luca, Théo, Elyaz, and Enzo — having pursued professional careers in football, the sport was never going to be far from the dinner table conversation.
The targets are set, and they're ambitious
His medium-term roadmap covers the Nations League, Euro 2028, and beyond that, the 2030 World Cup — the obvious summit. Only three men have won the World Cup as both player and coach: Zagallo, Beckenbauer, and Deschamps, the man Zidane just replaced. Joining that group would be the defining achievement of a career that already includes two La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, and a 1998 World Cup winner's medal as a player.
Whether France's odds to win in 2030 shorten or lengthen on the back of this appointment depends largely on what squad Zidane inherits and how quickly he can put his stamp on it. The opening answer comes on September 25 — a Nations League qualifier against Turkey in İzmit. His first competitive test, in a stadium most French fans couldn't find on a map. That's how it always starts.
