Zinedine Zidane has officially signed a long-term contract to become the next head coach of the French national team, ending months of speculation and formalising a verbal agreement that had been in place with the French Football Federation (FFF) since November 2025.
The former Real Madrid tactician will take over from Didier Deschamps, whose final match at the helm was France’s 2-1 defeat to England in the third-place play-off at the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps’ departure had been widely anticipated, clearing the path for Zidane’s long-anticipated return to the international stage.
Football transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed the development on social media, stating that Zidane put pen to paper despite late interest from several top clubs.
“Verbal agreement in place since November, never been in doubt or at risk despite clubs calling. Zizou is back,” Romano wrote.
The FFF has yet to announce an official start date, but sources indicate Zidane will be formally presented in the coming weeks, with his first assignment expected to be the opening Euro 2028 qualifiers.
The 1998 World Cup winner and three-time Champions League-winning manager now inherits a squad eager to rebound from their World Cup disappointment.
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