French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane named new head coach of France's national team

One of the best French soccer players of all time will lead the country's men's national team moving forward. Zinedine Zidane was named the new head coach of the club Tuesday.

Zidane, 54, signed a four-year deal with the team.

Zidane has a lot to live up to in the role. France has been one of the best performers in recent World Cups. Prior to finishing in fourth place this year, the team finished as runners-up in 2022 and won it all in 2018.

The team's head coach during that span, Didier Deschamps, announced prior to the 2026 World Cup that it would be his last one with the team, paving the way for Zidane to take over.

It's tough to find a more accomplished replacement. As a player, Zidane was named the FIFA World Player of the Year three times. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1998. He also helped the team win the 1998 World Cup.

After his career, Zidane got into coaching, where he made waves as the manager of Real Madrid. The club won the Champions League three consecutive times in his three seasons as its coach from 2016-18.

After resigning from that job in 2018, he returned to Real Madrid a year later and coached the team until 2021.

At an introductory press conference Tuesday, Zidane said this was the only job he wanted after leaving Real Madrid, per the National News.

"For me, it's a continuity, a dream. I turned down many offers to take charge of a club over the past four or five years. After Real Madrid, there was only one job I wanted: to become head coach of France."

France should once again be a strong contender at the 2030 World Cup. Led by 2026 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé, the French team, as well as Zidane, will have lofty expectations each time they take the pitch.