Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleFlo CliffordTuesday 28 July 2026 15:04 BSTZidane is the new France manager (Reuters)Zinedine Zidane has been officially confirmed as the new head coach of the France national football team, succeeding Didier Deschamps who stepped down after their World Cup semi-final exit.Zidane expressed significant emotion and pride at his unveiling, stating he had waited five years for this opportunity and turned down club offers specifically to manage the national side, as he labelled his appointment the “happiest day of my career as a coach”.The appointment follows Deschamps' 14-year tenure, during which he led France to three major finals and World Cup glory in 2018, becoming the third person to win the World Cup as both a player and manager.Zidane, a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a highly successful manager with Real Madrid, where he won three Champions League titles, promised a more attacking style of play than his predecessor.His first home game in charge will be against Italy on 2 October, a notable fixture given his infamous headbutt incident against an Italian player in the 2006 World Cup final.In fullEmotional Zinedine Zidane confirmed as new France manager after World Cup semi-final exitMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in