Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, revealed the behind-the-scenes details of his negotiations with Zinedine Zidane to take charge of coaching the senior national team under a long-term contract.
The French Federation announced the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as coach of the "Les Bleus" national team, succeeding Didier Deschamps, who departed after finishing fourth in the 2026 World Cup.
Statements by the president of the French Federation regarding Zidane
The president of the French Football Federation began the press conference by saying: "It is an exceptional moment we are living today, as nearly 14 years have passed since the French Football Federation faced this situation of choosing a new coach for the national team."
He added: "It is also an exceptional moment for the person sitting next to me. More than eight days ago, the French national team concluded its participation in the World Cup with an outstanding performance, having qualified for the semi-finals and delivering a high level of quality."
He continued: "I would like to take this opportunity to praise the work of Didier Deschamps and his staff, and to commend him. He led our French national team to the top over the course of 14 years. Deschamps restored the image of Les Bleus, which had been severely damaged after the Knysna incident."
He went on: "Deschamps also restored the distinguished sporting performance that led to the world championship title. It is important that this be appreciated and thanked, but in January 2025, Didier Deschamps announced that he did not wish to continue his mission after the end of his contract."
He added: "In February 2025, I met with Zinedine Zidane and offered him the position of technical director of the French national team. Since then, we have met several times to plan his joining, and it was like the meeting of two desires."
He continued: "Zidane has stated for many years that one of his dreams is to coach the French national team, while the football federation had a desire to appoint someone with competence and the love of our fans to lead one of the best football teams."
He added: "The meeting of these two desires is what allowed us to quickly reach the agreements that enable us to present ourselves to you, after consulting with the executive committee of the federation this morning and presenting the nomination of Zinedine Zidane."
Philippe Diallo concluded his statements: "It is an honor and a pleasure for me to announce that Zinedine Zidane will be the next coach of the French national team for the next four years."