Zinedine Zidane, poised to be confirmed as France's new head coach, has told the French federation he wants — and is set to receive — a long-term commitment running all the way to 2034, according to Sport5. The Israeli outlet reports the terms amount to an eight-year contract covering four major tournaments, a striking length for an international manager's deal.
Zidane is stepping into a job Didier Deschamps held for 14 years, since 2012. Deschamps's reign delivered the 2018 World Cup title and a run to the 2022 final, but it ended painfully this summer: a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, followed by a wild 6-4 loss to England in the third-place play-off in Miami.
Zidane, 54, won the World Cup himself as a player with France in 1998 and reached another final with Les Bleus in 2006. He has been out of coaching since his second spell at Real Madrid, where he won three straight Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
Per Sport5's report, the contract on the table would keep Zidane in charge through two European Championships — 2028 and 2032 — and two World Cups: the 2030 tournament co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and the 2034 edition awarded to Saudi Arabia.
Two familiar faces from Zidane's Real Madrid backroom staff are expected to follow him to the federation: David Bettoni, his long-time assistant since their days together at Cannes, and Hamidou Msaïdie, who worked as a fitness and rehabilitation aide under Zidane in the Spanish capital.
Sport5's account of the length and scope of the deal does not fully match other reporting on the appointment. Goal.com and ESPN, among outlets describing the terms, have reported Zidane signing on for a shorter stretch, through the 2030 World Cup, with his brief covering the 2027 Nations League, Euro 2028 and that World Cup — three tournaments rather than four. Which version reflects the final, signed terms has not been settled publicly.
The French federation has yet to formally confirm the appointment, though federation president Philippe Diallo has indicated an announcement is imminent as the process is finalised.
Either way, the broad shape of the story is not in dispute: Zidane is on his way to the France job for the first time since retiring as a player, inheriting a squad built around Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni as the federation turns the page from Deschamps's long, trophy-laden era.
