Zidane and Barthez were teammates in the 1998 World Cup-winning team and have maintained a close friendship over the years. Barthez has been a regular presence at team reunions and charity matches in France. Zidane has also brought in some familiar faces from his time at Real Madrid, including David Bettoni and Hamidou Msaidie, who will be part of the coaching staff.
The French national team will face Turkey on September 25 in their first match under Zidane's leadership, as part of the Nations League. They will also face Belgium and Italy on the same day. The team will also include Grégory Dupont, Stéphane Plancque, Farid Tabet, and Clément Ybert in various roles.