Zinedine Zidane has been handed the reins of the French national team, signing a contract until 2030. He replaces Didier Deschamps, who led the team to the World Cup semi-finals and a third-place finish.
Zidane's return to management has been years in the making, with the 50-year-old finally getting his chance to lead his country. He takes over with a World Cup cycle in mind, with France hoping to do better than their disappointing 2026 showing.
From his time in charge of Real Madrid, Zidane showed a preference for a 4-3-3 formation. Assuming this remains the case, here's how France could line up under their new boss.
Zidane is expected to stick with Mike Maignan as his first-choice goalkeeper. The 31-year-old AC Milan man remains France's best option in goal, despite some competition from Robin Risser.
Jules Kounde is set to keep his place at right-back, despite being linked with a move to Barcelona several years ago. The 27-year-old has established himself in the role in recent years, although it remains to be seen what Zidane thinks of him.
William Saliba may miss the cut for Zidane's first France squad in September due to a back injury. The 22-year-old Premier League champion is expected to be a big part of Zidane's plans in the long term.
Dayot Upamecano is another player Zidane has a history with, having been linked with a move to sign the 27-year-old for Real Madrid back in 2020. Now in his prime years, Upamecano is someone France will be building around.
Adrien Truffert is set to take over at left-back, with the 24-year-old Bournemouth player emerging as one of the most promising French full-backs. He made his senior debut for France in a Nations League match four years ago.
Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to be in pole position for the holding midfield role, with the 26-year-old having the big-game presence that Zidane will be looking for. Tchouameni has four years of experience playing for Real Madrid under his belt.
Warren Zaire-Emery is one of the young players France can pin their hopes for the future on. The 22-year-old PSG player has more than 100 Ligue 1 appearances to his name and stands out for his passing and press resistance.
Eduardo Camavinga is another player who could feature in the midfield, with the 23-year-old having followed in Zidane's footsteps by playing for Real Madrid. Camavinga was left out of the 2026 World Cup squad, but could be restored to the squad under Zidane.
Michael Olise is set to keep his place on the right wing, with the 23-year-old having linked up with Zidane at Real Madrid. Olise has been in top form over the past year, and could be the perfect player to link up with Zidane.
Source: Planet Football
