For the first time since 2012, France begins an international cycle without Didier Deschamps on the bench.
Zinedine Zidane’s Biggest Challenges With France
After 14 years under Didier Deschamps, Zinedine Zidane takes charge of France with one of the hardest tasks in international football: not rebuilding a struggling team, but keeping a winning national team at the top while creating a new era of his own.
His successor could hardly carry greater expectations.
Zinedine Zidane was officially appointed on July 28, signing a four-year contract through the 2030 World Cup. The former Real Madrid coach returns to management five years after leaving the Spanish club and takes charge of the country he helped lead to the 1998 World Cup title as a player.
Unlike many new national-team coaches, Zidane does not inherit a team in crisis.
France finished fourth at the 2026 World Cup after reaching another semi-final. They won all three group matches and eliminated Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco before losing 2-0 to eventual champions Spain.
That creates a very different challenge: how do you keep winning after winning?
Building His Own France
Deschamps leaves behind one of the most successful periods in French football history. During his 14 years in charge, France won the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League, while also reaching the finals of EURO 2016 and the 2022 World Cup.
Zidane therefore does not need to restore France’s status among the elite. He needs to maintain it.
He inherits a squad led by Kylian Mbappé, but also containing players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise and Désiré Doué, giving him the foundations to gradually create a new version of Les Bleus.
His first major challenge will be defining a hierarchy and tactical identity of his own without changing things simply for the sake of change.
The transition from one successful era to another can be more complicated than rebuilding after failure. Zidane must decide which elements of Deschamps’ France should remain and where his team needs to evolve.
A Difficult Start in the Nations League
There will be little time for a gradual introduction.
Zidane’s first match comes away against Türkiye on September 25 in the UEFA Nations League. Three days later, France visit Belgium.
The international window continues with two home matches: against Italy on October 2 and another meeting with Belgium on October 5.
With four competitive matches immediately, the Nations League will provide Zidane with his first opportunity to establish his ideas while already competing for a trophy.
Winning After Winning
That may ultimately define Zidane’s tenure.
His first major tournament will be EURO 2028, a competition France have not won since 2000. Beyond that sits the 2030 World Cup.
The talent is already there. So is the experience of competing deep into major tournaments.
What Zidane must create is renewed hunger.
Successful generations eventually need new motivations, new leaders and new ideas. His task is to introduce those changes without destroying the competitive culture that made France one of international football’s dominant teams under Deschamps.
Zidane spent years waiting for this opportunity. Now he faces a challenge very different from rescuing a fallen giant.
He has to inherit a winner — and make it win again.
