Zidane Takes Charge of France National Team: All Coaching Achievements and Statistics of the Legend

On July 28, 2026, French football officially entered a new era. The local federation announced the appointment of the legendary Zinedine Zidane as the head coach of the national team. In this position, the great Zizou replaced Didier Deschamps, who had led the team for a long 14 years and left the post after the completion of the 2026 World Cup. In this article, we have gathered all the main information about Zidane's coaching career and predicted what to expect from him in his new role.

Where Zidane coached: work statistics

Prior to this appointment, Zinedine Zidane worked exclusively at the club level, heading Real Madrid. His coaching path at the "Royal Club" was divided into two periods: from 2016 to 2018 and from 2019 to 2021. During this time, the Frenchman managed to lead the "Creams" in 320 official matches in all tournaments.

Zidane's statistics at Real Madrid are impressive:

• Victories: 199
• Draws: 71
• Defeats: 48
• Goals scored: 688
• Goals conceded: 322

The coach's victory percentage amounted to an impressive 62.19%.

Zidane's main achievements as a coach

Note that working in Madrid brought Zinedine Zidane many team and individual awards. And it has undoubtedly forever inscribed the Frenchman's name in the history of world football.

Team trophies

• Three consecutive victories in the UEFA Champions League (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 seasons) — this is a unique achievement: Zidane became the only coach who won the main European cup tournament three times in a row in the modern format.
• Two Spanish championship titles (La Liga): 2016/17 and 2019/20 seasons. The first championship is especially valuable — it ended a five-year pause without gold for Real.
• Two UEFA Super Cups (2016, 2017) — Zidane became the second coach in history (after Arrigo Sacchi) to win this trophy two years in a row.
• Two victories at the Club World Cup (2016, 2017).
• Spanish Super Cup (2017).

Personal coaching awards and records

• Best Coach of the Year according to The Best FIFA Football Awards (2017) — the award was given for the second consecutive victory in the Champions League.
• Best Club Coach in the World according to IFFHS (2017, 2018).
• Best French Coach of the Year according to France Football (2016, 2017).
• Set several club and league records: for example, under Zidane, Real had the longest unbeaten streak in its history — 40 games, and also showed one of the best indicators for the minimum number of defeats after the first 100 matches in La Liga.

New chapter: what to expect from Zidane in

France National Team

The contract of the legendary Frenchman with the national federation is set for four years, that is, until the end of the 2030 World Cup. On paper, this is a large-scale and long-term project, the ultimate goal of which is not only the gold of the upcoming tournaments, but also the preparation of a combat-ready team for the home European Championship in 2032, which France will host together with Italy.

Zidane's debut on the coaching bridge of the national team will take place on September 25, 2026, in an away match against Turkey as part of the Nations League. Then the team awaits the matches of the qualifying cycle for Euro 2028, the next draw of the Nations League, and qualification for the 2030 World Cup. Considering the composition of the "tricolors" and Zizu's victorious experience, in all tournaments, Mbappe and co will be aiming for at least the final. There is almost no doubt about this.

Note that even now in the lines of popular bookmakers you can find odds for France's victory in the 2030 World Cup, where Zidane's wards are among the main favorites. Their potential victory in the next World Cup is estimated at odds of 7.00. Only the current World Cup holders, the Spaniards, are rated higher (you can bet on them with odds of 6.00).

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