Zinedine Zidane has been named as the new head coach of France for the next four years, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday. The 54-year-old will take over from longtime head coach Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after the 2026 World Cup.

Zidane’s Experience and Ambition

Zidane will be counted on to lift the organization’s spirits after the national team was bounced from the tournament by eventual winner Spain in the semifinals. Les Bleus were then beaten by England in the third-place match. Zidane has a wealth of success at the club level, having led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles, two league titles, and two Club World Cups.

Zidane expressed his joy and honor at becoming the coach of France, stating that he wants to thank President Philippe Diallo, the Executive Committee, and the French Football Federation for their trust. He also saluted the fourteen years of Didier Deschamps and his staff. Zidane has a lot of ambition for the French Team and is looking to emulate former teammate Deschamps by joining the exclusive club of people who have won the World Cup as both player and manager.

Zidane will now be looking to figure out a way to find harmony among his forward options, including star man Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola. Finding balance has been something France has struggled with since its success at the 2018 World Cup. Zidane will be tasked with combining France’s offensive arsenal with defensive rigidity behind them.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.