Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach of the French national football team, officially succeeding Didier Deschamps after a 14-year tenure. The announcement was made on July 28, 2026, at the French Football Federation headquarters in Paris, with federation president Philippe Diallo present.
Zidane, 54, signed a four-year contract and will lead France through the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures, starting with an away match against Turkey on September 25. This will mark Zidane’s return to management after a five-year break since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. During this period, he reportedly declined several offers from prominent clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as proposals from Saudi Arabian teams, with the explicit aim of waiting for the opportunity to manage France.
Speaking about his appointment, Zidane said the French national team was his sole managerial ambition. “I’ve always looked at this team through the eyes of a future manager,” he stated. He also emphasized his intention to build on the legacy left by Deschamps, who secured the 2018 World Cup and the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League for France, while guiding the team to the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. Zidane promised to instill his own style, declaring, “Deschamps is Deschamps, Blanc was Blanc, Zizou is Zizou.”
Zidane, a former playmaker for France and Juventus, played a pivotal role in the 1998 World Cup-winning squad, scoring twice in the final against Brazil. His new role marks the continuation of a trend with the French national team now coached by a member of the 1998 squad, including his predecessors Laurent Blanc and Deschamps.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Roberto Mancini has been reappointed as head coach after a brief absence. Mancini, who previously managed Italy between 2018 and 2023 and led them to victory at the 2021 European Championship, returns amid recent instability within the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Former coach Gennaro Gattuso left in April after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
The decision came after Andrea Pirlo, who had been favored to replace Gattuso, withdrew his candidacy amid controversy over his association with a Russian betting company. His links to the firm prompted objections from FIGC officials and politicians, ultimately leading to Pirlo’s exclusion from contention. This controversy also resulted in the resignation of newly appointed FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and his adviser Leonardo shortly after their appointments. Veteran coach Claudio Ranieri was named to succeed Maldini as technical director.
FIGC president Giovanni Malagò explained that the situation created time constraints which led to the reappointment of Mancini, emphasizing there was no personal conflict involved, only regret over the circumstances. Mancini had left the role in 2023 to coach the Saudi Arabian national team, followed by a stint at Al-Sadd in Qatar.
The return of Mancini aims to stabilize Italy’s coaching staff and prepare the team for future competitions following their recent qualification disappointments. The national side continues to rebuild as it seeks to regain its standing in international football.
Together, these managerial changes in France and Italy highlight a period of transition for two of Europe’s prominent national teams ahead of major upcoming tournaments, including the UEFA European Championship in 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.