Zidane waited for France - now can he harness their star power?
Zinedine Zidane says he waited for the France job, but what will he bring to the role after five years out of management?
BBC Sport · September 25, 2026
France will have a new face on the touchline for the first time in 14 years when they face Turkey on Friday.
Zinedine Zidane replaced Didier Deschamps after France's fourth-place finish at the World Cup, but his appointment had been an open secret long before Les Bleus' third-place play-off loss to England.
Talks between the former Real Madrid manager and the French football authorities kicked off as early as February 2025 - after Zidane's former team-mate Deschamps announced a few weeks earlier he would step down following the 2026 World Cup.
Get collector news, card values & trading in one app
