Zinedine Zidane appointed France head coach

The French Football Federation (FFF) on Tuesday appointed Zinedine Zidane as head coach of the national football team, replacing Didier Deschamps after his 14-year tenure.

The 54-year-old former France international will take charge of the team in September, with his first matches scheduled in the UEFA Nations League.

France's first match under Zidane is scheduled for Sept. 25 in the UEFA Nations League, against Türkiye.

Zidane succeeds Deschamps, who had managed France since 2012 and led the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title, the 2022 World Cup final, the 2026 World Cup semifinals and the UEFA Euro 2016 final.

The former midfielder has not managed a club since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.

Zidane began his coaching career as an assistant to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid in 2013 before managing the club's reserve team.

He was appointed Real Madrid head coach in 2016 and guided the Spanish side to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles before leaving in 2018. He returned to the club in 2019 and remained in charge until 2021.

Zidane, 54, played 108 games for France scoring 31 goals, and won the men's Ballon d'Or in 1998. His team lost the 2006 World Cup final after he was sent off in extra time for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest.