Zinedine Zidane

On July 28, 2026, Zinedine Zidane was officially confirmed as France's new head coach, the fulfilment of a decades-long national ambition, nine years after walking off a World Cup final pitch in red.

By Alexandre Le Hégarat · datastats · Updated July 28, 2026

Zinedine Zidane is one of the most celebrated footballers in history. Born on June 23, 1972, in Marseille to parents who had emigrated from Kabylie in Algeria, he grew from the working-class neighbourhood of La Castellane into the defining midfielder of his era. His career arc took him from AS Cannes and Girondins de Bordeaux to Juventus and, most famously, Real Madrid, where he twice commanded the world-record transfer fee. His defining moment as a player came on July 12, 1998: two headed goals in the World Cup final against Brazil at the Stade de France, in front of a home crowd that had spent the 1990s waiting for this exact night. France won their first World Cup; Zidane became a national icon. He added UEFA Euro 2000 and three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1998, 2000, 2003) before his playing career ended in the most dramatic fashion: a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi in extra time of the 2006 World Cup final, France’s defeat on penalties, and a walk off the Olympiastadion turf that doubled as a farewell.

His second act silenced the doubters. Appointed Real Madrid head coach in January 2016, he became the only manager in history to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles (2016, 2017, 2018). His total haul across two managerial spells at Real Madrid (2016–2018, 2019–2021) includes three Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles, and three FIFA Club World Cups. He left for the second and final time in May 2021 and spent five years without a club, consistently declining offers and citing the France national team job as his singular remaining ambition.

On July 28, 2026, that ambition was fulfilled. With Didier Deschamps having departed after the 2026 World Cup, where France reached the semi-finals before falling 2–0 to eventual champions Spain, the French Football Federation confirmed Zidane as head coach. At 54, he inherits a squad built around Kylian Mbappé, the 2026 Golden Boot winner with 10 goals, and a generation of talent capable of competing for the biggest prizes. Zidane’s primary targets will be UEFA Euro 2028 and, ultimately, the 2030 World Cup, which France will co-host alongside Morocco and Spain.

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Yes. Zinedine Zidane was officially appointed head coach of the French national team on July 28, 2026, replacing Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after the 2026 World Cup as previously announced. Zidane signed a multi-year contract and will lead France through the 2027 Nations League, UEFA Euro 2028, and the 2030 World Cup (which France will co-host with Morocco and Spain).

Zinedine Zidane was born on June 23, 1972, in Marseille, France. As of July 2026, he is 54 years old.

As head coach of Real Madrid (first spell 2016–2018), Zidane won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, the only manager in football history to achieve that. In his second spell (2019–2021) he added La Liga (2019–20). He holds at least five major trophies as a club manager before taking the France job.

Zidane played as an attacking midfielder, typically the number-10 role. He was renowned for extraordinary technical skill, vision, and elegance, his touch, balance, and ability to turn in tight spaces made him widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in football history.

In the 110th minute of the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, Zidane headbutted Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest and was sent off with a straight red card. Zidane later stated that Materazzi made deeply offensive personal remarks aimed at his sister. Materazzi acknowledged making a comment he regretted, denying the most extreme versions of events. France subsequently lost the final on penalties. It was the last act of Zidane's playing career.

Zinedine Zidane is French. He was born in Marseille to parents who had immigrated from Kabylie, in northern Algeria. He grew up in the La Castellane neighbourhood of Marseille. He represented France exclusively throughout his international career, winning the 1998 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.

Luca Zidane is Zinedine's eldest son and a professional goalkeeper. After years in Real Madrid's youth and reserve system, Luca officially switched allegiance to represent Algeria (his paternal heritage) at international level in September 2025. He started in goal for Algeria at the 2026 World Cup, wearing a protective mask following a fractured jaw. Algeria were eliminated in the Round of 32 by Switzerland.

No official net worth figure for Zidane exists. Unofficial estimates from financial media have placed his wealth in the range of tens of millions of euros, accumulated through his peak playing career at Juventus and Real Madrid in the 1990s–2000s, his highly paid coaching tenure at Real Madrid, and long-running commercial partnerships (including a decades-long relationship with Adidas). These are estimates, not verified totals.

Didier Deschamps was appointed France head coach in July 2012 and served for 14 years. He led France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2016 Euro final (lost to Portugal), and the 2022 World Cup final (lost to Argentina on penalties). France reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup before losing 2–0 to Spain, the eventual champions. Deschamps had already announced the 2026 World Cup would be his last tournament.