Zidane's appointment marks the end of a 14-year tenure for Deschamps, who won the World Cup in 2018 and lost the 2022 final. Zidane is no stranger to the French national team, having starred for Les Bleus more than 30 years ago. He scored two headers in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil and won the Ballon d'Or that year.
As a coach, Zidane has achieved success, leading Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles. He will now face high expectations, given his achievements as a player and coach. "It's something new," Zidane said. "I'm taking over as head coach so people are talking about it. That makes sense."
Zidane will face Türkiye in his first game as coach, with France's all-time top scorer Kylian Mbappé set to captain the side. He has also named a new-look squad, with six new faces set to make their debuts. Zidane is happy with what he's seen so far, describing the French team as "open to everyone."