Football’s managerial carousel is up and running
Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach of the French national football team, succeeding Didier Deschamps after his 14-year tenure. Zidane expressed his commitment to maintaining the team's high standards while introducing his own managerial style.
Why it matters
The transition of a high-profile national team manager is a major event in global sports, impacting the competitive trajectory of a top-tier football nation.
Mention ‘France head coach’, our muscle memory will instantly direct us to the unassuming figure of Didier Deschamps. After all, he served his role with distinction for as many as 14 years, leading Les Bleus to heights only a few football heavyweights have scaled.
During a decade of dominance on the World Cup stage, the 57-year-old masterminded the creation of a second star on the royal blue jersey (2018), had a so-near-yet-so-far moment (2022) and signed off with another semifinal appearance (2026).
Deschamps may not have stayed as cool as a cucumber in the phase that preceded his walk into the sunset — France lost to Spain and England in his last two matches in-charge — but he has left a seat which will remain hot. Occupying the spot will be Zinedine Zidane.
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