Zinedine Zidane has begun a new chapter with the French national football team as he prepares for his first matches as national coach. Kylian Mbappe will continue as captain as France starts a new period under the former Real Madrid manager. Zidane returns to coaching after spending several years away from the bench, with his appointment marking a major change for France after Didier Deschamps ended his long spell in charge.
Deschamps led France for 14 years and guided the team to the 2018 World Cup title. He also took France to the 2022 World Cup final, where the team lost to Argentina on penalties. Zidane now takes over a squad that has remained one of the strongest teams in international football, with his first task being to prepare the players for a new cycle while keeping the team competitive.
Mbappe has welcomed Zidane’s appointment. The France captain said working with Zidane felt special because of the former midfielder’s importance to French football. The two men already have a personal connection from earlier years, as Zidane once helped Mbappe visit Real Madrid’s training facilities when the forward was a young player.
Their relationship will now move into a new professional stage. Zidane will be responsible for selecting the squad, planning matches and developing France’s playing style, while Mbappe will remain an important part of that plan. The forward has become one of France’s leading players and has already played a major role in several international tournaments.
The new coach also faces the challenge of balancing experienced players with younger members of the squad. France has a large pool of talented players, giving Zidane several options in different positions. The national team is entering a period of change after years under Deschamps, and Zidane’s appointment has therefore attracted strong interest from French supporters and football observers.
His first competitive matches will provide an early test of how he wants France to play. The team is scheduled to face Turkey in the Nations League before meetings with Belgium and Italy. Those matches will give Zidane opportunities to test different players and tactical ideas while also showing how quickly the squad adapts to a new coaching system.
France’s football structure has remained strong in recent years. The national team has regularly reached major tournament finals and has produced players who compete at leading European clubs. Zidane’s experience at Real Madrid will be useful in managing high-level players, as he won major domestic and European trophies during his time in Spain and worked with several internationally known footballers.
However, international football is different from club football. National coaches have limited time with their players because squads meet only for short periods during international breaks. Zidane will therefore need to build his approach quickly, and his relationship with Mbappe and the other senior players could become important during the transition.
The captain has already expressed excitement about the new era. He said Zidane’s presence with the national team felt unusual and special because of the coach’s history in French football. France’s upcoming matches will now attract attention as Zidane begins his first international coaching campaign, with the results and performances providing the first public signs of how his ideas are developing.
For now, the main change is clear. Zidane is back in charge of France, while Mbappe remains the team’s captain as the national side begins a new football era.
