Zinedine Zidane has signed a contract to manage the French national team until mid-2030, according to a Tuesday morning report by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Italian insider, posting on Instagram, described the appointment as a settled matter and added his signature “Here we go, confirmed.” European outlets note that a verbal agreement was reached as early as November, yet the French Football Federation has issued no official statement. Viewed from Paris, the silence leaves the succession in a familiar limbo: widely anticipated, repeatedly reported by L’Équipe, but still awaiting institutional ratification.

The move would end Didier Deschamps’ 14-year tenure, which concluded after France’s fourth-place finish at the most recent World Cup. The defending champions were eliminated in the semi-finals by Spain, then lost the third-place match to England on penalties. Israeli press detailed that Kylian Mbappé broke the all-time World Cup scoring record with 22 goals and claimed the Golden Boot with 10 strikes in the tournament. The federation bid farewell to Deschamps with a statement hailing “a quarter-century of exceptional commitment” and a record that includes the 2018 World Cup title and the 2021 Nations League crown.

Zidane, 54, has coached only Real Madrid, across two spells, winning three consecutive Champions League titles and two La Liga championships. As a player, he lifted the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, and his final professional act was a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 final. Reports in the Arab world and Nigeria relay that Zidane is expected to be unveiled in the coming days and will officially take charge on 1 September. German media add that he will be assisted by his long-time deputy David Bettoni, who worked alongside him at Real Madrid.

The first test of the Zidane era is scheduled for 25 September, when France travel to Turkey in the Nations League, followed by a home fixture against Italy on 2 October. The long-term targets, as outlined by multiple outlets, are the 2027 Nations League, Euro 2028, and the 2030 World Cup. For now, the football world awaits a formal announcement from the federation, the only body that can transform a transfer journalist’s declaration into a confirmed chapter of French football history.