Zizou Is Back: Why Zidane Coaching France Is About More Than Soccer ?

On July 28, 2026, the French Football Federation named Zinedine Zidane as the new coach of the national team. His contract lasts until the 2030 World Cup. For many Americans, this may seem like a normal change of coach. In France, it feels like the return of a national hero.

The Man Behind the Nickname

To understand this change, you need to know who "Zizou" is. He was born in Marseille to parents of Algerian origin, and he grew up in a working-class neighborhood. He later became one of the greatest players in the history of soccer. He played for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid. In 1998, he was the star of the French team that won the World Cup at home, and he scored two goals with his head in the final against Brazil.

That victory meant more than a trophy. Zidane is the son of immigrants, and for many French people, he represents a hopeful idea of their country: with talent and hard work, a kid from Marseille can reach the top of the world.

The Coach Who Waited

Zidane was also very successful as a coach, but with a club, not with France. At Real Madrid, he won the Champions League three times in a row, from 2016 to 2018. This is extremely rare in modern soccer. After that, he stopped coaching for a while. Everyone in France knew what he was waiting for. He often said that coaching the national team was his dream, and that he wanted to complete the story he started as a player.

The moment finally came. Didier Deschamps, the national coach since 2012, said he would leave after the 2026 World Cup. There is a nice piece of history here: Deschamps was the captain of the 1998 team, and now his former teammate is taking his place. Zidane officially started on August 1, 2026. On August 13, the federation announced his team of assistants. Many of them worked with him at Real Madrid, and a few from Marseille.

A New Era Begins

The first match went well. In the UEFA Nations League, France beat Turkey 1-0 last Friday. The group also includes Italy and Belgium, so the difficult games are still to come.

After 14 years, Deschamps had great success but also faced some criticism in recent years, but many fans hope for a fresh start. Being a great player does not guarantee success as a coach.

Stay tuned for the next matches!