Zinedine Zidane Takes Over France After World Cup 2026 Semifinal Exit

France, widely regarded as the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup, was eliminated in the semifinals by European champions Spain on July 14, 2026. Although France still has a third-place match remaining, it is considered a formality. The most significant change following the tournament is the coaching transition. Zinedine Zidane, a legendary former player who led France to the 1998 World Cup title, agreed before the tournament to replace Didier Deschamps as head coach. This will be Zidane's first time managing a national team, marking his second major coaching role after two separate stints at Real Madrid. Zidane has not coached since 2021.

The French squad, led by Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, is relatively young, with few expected departures before the next European Championship or World Cup. The oldest outfield players are Lucas Digne and Adrien Rabiot, aged 32 and 31 respectively. France remains one of the most talented and deep national teams globally. Notably, Didier Deschamps left out key players such as Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike, AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku, and Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga, the latter considered a significant omission who may play a larger role in future tournaments.