Football legend appointed head coach of the French national team: "It was my dream"
After 14 years, Didier Deschamps is stepping down. Zinedine Zidane has signed an eight-year contract until 2034, stating: "I rejected all offers, it was my only dream."
An earthquake in the world of sports: Zinedine Zidane was officially appointed today as the new head coach of the French national team. Zidane, who won the 1998 World Cup with Les Bleus as a player, will replace Didier Deschamps, who had been at the helm since 2012 and recorded major successes, including winning the 2018 World Cup and reaching the 2022 World Cup final.
According to reports, the incoming coach made it clear to the French Football Federation that he is interested in a long-term commitment. As part of this, Zidane will sign an eight-year contract until 2034, during which he will lead the team in two Euro tournaments (in 2028 and 2032) and two World Cups — the 2030 World Cup to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and the 2034 World Cup expected to take place in Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of taking the position, Zidane will bring in the professional staff close to him from his successful days at Real Madrid: David Bettoni, who served as his assistant at the Spanish club, alongside Hamidou Msaidie, who also accompanied him in the Spanish capital.
At the festive press conference where he was officially presented, Zidane delivered an emotional message to the fans:
"I finished coaching Real Madrid 5 years ago and since then I have rejected all offers because the only thing I wanted to do was to coach the national team, it was my dream. Now I have received the opportunity and I will do everything so that this team continues to win."
