It's official: Zinedine Zidane is the new coach of the French national team. He succeeds Didier Deschamps, who is stepping down after fourteen years in charge of the national team.
"It's an immense joy. I'm happy with what's happening to me today. I have no other words. I'm keeping calm, yet I'm filled with emotion. I'm ready to face the challenge. That's what drives me today," said the former Les Bleus champion, a 1998 World Cup winner and protagonist of some of the most memorable moments in world football.
His name had been linked several times with the French national team, but only now has the moment arrived for the handover. "Coaching France was the only thing I wanted to do," Zizou added. "Over the years, I've received other offers from clubs, but I turned them all down to wait for the national team."
As a player, Zidane led Les Bleus to victory at the 1998 World Cup, scoring a historic brace in the final against Brazil, and two years later he contributed to their success at the 2000 European Championship. Winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1998, he is considered one of the greatest players in the history of football.
At the helm of Real Madrid, he won three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, a feat never achieved by any other manager in the modern era of the competition. His trophy cabinet also includes two Spanish league titles, two UEFA Super Cups, two Club World Cups, and numerous other trophies.
Now the challenge will be different. A comparison with the legacy left by Deschamps, winner of the 2018 World Cup and finalist in 2022, will be inevitable, but the former Les Bleus number 10 knows well the weight of the French shirt and the expectations that accompany it.
(Unioneonline/D)
