ZIDANE APPOINYED FRANCE HEAD COACH AFTER 2026 WORLD CUP

Zinedine Zidane has been appointed head coach of the France men’s national football team, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday.

The 54-year-old takes over from Didier Deschamps, who stepped down following the 2026 FIFA World Cup after leading France for 14 years.

Zidane’s appointment comes after France’s disappointing campaign at the tournament in North America. Widely regarded as one of the favourites, Les Bleus were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals before losing to England in the third-place playoff.

The former France captain returns to coaching for the first time since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, where he enjoyed one of the most successful managerial spells in modern football.

“I have often said there is nothing greater than the French national team. It is therefore a joy and obviously a great honor to become the coach of France. It is also a responsibility,” Zidane said in a statement released by the FFF.

“I want to thank President Philippe Diallo, the Executive Committee and the French Football Federation for their trust and salute the fourteen years of Didier and his staff. I also have a special thought today for all my teachers. Needless to say, I have a lot of ambition for the French team.”

As a player, Zidane is regarded as one of France’s greatest footballers. He inspired the country to its first FIFA World Cup title in 1998, scoring twice in the 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final, before helping France win the UEFA European Championship in 2000.

His international playing career ended in dramatic fashion when he was sent off during the 2006 World Cup final against Italy following his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi.

Zidane now aims to emulate Deschamps by winning the World Cup as both a player and a coach.

Speaking at his unveiling, Zidane said coaching the French national team had always been his ambition.

“It’s a continuation for me, a dream come true. Over the last four or five years, I’ve received offers to lead a club and I rejected them all for the France national team. It’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do,” he said.

Zidane brings an outstanding club coaching record to the role. During two spells in charge of Real Madrid, he guided the Spanish giants to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, two La Liga championships and two FIFA Club World Cup trophies.

His immediate challenge will be preparing France for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with a squad featuring attacking stars including Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola.

“We’ll be doing things differently. Deschamps is Deschamps, Zidane is Zidane. I will do what I know how to do,” he said. “I guarantee continuity so that the French national team keeps winning.”

- Ariana News

MICHAEL OLISE STOPPED FROM CELEBRATING FRANCE GOAL DUE TO LITTLE-KNOWN FIFA RULE

France cruised through their World Cup semi-final against Morocco in Boston.

France claimed a place in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday with a straightforward quarter-final win over Morocco.

Les Bleus won 2-0 in Boston thanks to two goals in seven minutes in the second half of a match they dominated from start to finish.

Captain Kylian Mbappe curled in the first after seeing his earlier penalty saved by Bono in the first half. The Moroccan goalkeeper couldn't then keep out the Ousmane Dembele shot that doubled the lead.

France will now face Spain or Belgium in the World Cup's first semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday and are just 90 minutes away from a third consecutive World Cup final.

Their second goal against Morocco sparked joyous celebrations on the touchline but one player was notably unable to join in.

Fans noticed that Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, one of France's star performers under Didier Deschamps this summer, was prevented from joining the mint-green huddle by substitute goalkeeper Brice Samba.

The Rennes man's quick thinking might have made all the difference and revealed his knowledge of the first clause of Law 8 in the Laws of the Game.

Law 8 states that: "For every kick-off, all players, except for the player taking the kick-off, must be in their own half of the field of play."

That only applies to players on the pitch. With no players in the opposition half to actively prevent the restart, France would have fulfilled the requirements of a kick-off and Morocco would have been permitted to get the game back underway without a single French player in their way.

By stopping Olise's charge towards the celebrating pack, Samba ensured that 'all players' were not in their own half and thus denied Morocco the right to crack on unhindered and halve the deficit with more than 20 minutes left on the clock.

Staying switched-on to that possibility is something France have demonstrated before.

A similar incident involving France unfolded in the 2022 World Cup final, when Dayot Upamecano was shoved back onto the pitch by Theo Hernandez after one of Mbappe's goals.

Mbappe scored three times in the final four years ago but France were beaten on penalties by Argentina, potential final opponents again in the current tournament.

Kylian Mbappe is tearing it up in front of goal

Les Bleus won their second World Cup in Russia in 2018, a success that made Didier Deschamps one of the just three men to win the World Cup both as a player and as manager.

They beat Morocco in the semi-finals in 2022 and made short work of them again in Boston on Wednesday.

Mbappe and his team are flying. His goal against the Atlas Lions was his 20th in 20 World Cup matches, putting him one goal behind record scorer Lionel Messi.

The Argentina captain's goals have been scored at a slower rate and Mbappe's rise to the top of the pile now seems inevitable.

Like Messi, Mbappe has eight goals in the 2026 tournament. His strikes against Senegal, Iraq, Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco have put both the captain and his team within reach of history.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

- Chris Nee

FRANCE 'ASTERIX' MEME | ASTERIX AND OBELIX | ALLEZ GAUL | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

 

MBAPPÉ AND FRANCE ARRIVE AT THEIR HOTEL IN BOSTON READY FOR WORLD CUP

BERNARD LACOMBE DEAD AT 72: LEGENDARY FRANCE STRIKER WHO WON EURO 1984 PASSES AWAY AS TRIBUTES FLOOR IN

• Bernard Lacombe won the European Championship with France back in 1984 

• The prolific former striker is still the second-highest ever goalscorer in Ligue 1 

• French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo hailed him as 'remarkable' 

Legendary former France international Bernard Lacombe has passed away at the age of 72. 

The prolific striker is perhaps best remembered as one of the victorious European Champions of 1984 alongside Michel Platini, and netted 12 times for Les Bleus in his 38 international appearances. 

One of those strikes remains a record-breaker today, after Lacombe scored within 30 seconds of the World Cup clash with Italy back in 1978, France's fastest at football's greatest competition. 

Beyond success on the international scene, Lacombe was known in the seventies and eighties as one of the most lethal forwards in France. 

In fact, he has the second-most goals of any player in Ligue 1 history, registering 255 strikes in 497 appearances across stints with Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux. 

French giants Lyon, where he played 258 times, paid tribute to their former star and manager on social media in the wake of the tragic news.

'It is with immense sadness that we learned on Tuesday evening of the passing of Bernard Lacombe,' they wrote.

'All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, as well as with the fans of Olympique Lyonnais and football.

'Rest in peace, Bernard.'

After hanging up his boots, Lacombe went on to manage Lyon - where he came through the ranks having been born in the city - for four years between 1996 and 2000, winning the Intertoto Cup in 1997.

He would also spend 20 years as a special advisor to owner Jean-Michel Aulas, and was reportedly crucial to the retention of a number of the club's Brazilian players, such as Juninho. 

French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo, added an emotive response to the news, saying: 'It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Bernard Lacombe. Bernard Lacombe left an indelible mark on French football, as a player, coach, and manager.

'He was one of the greatest strikers in the history of French football. The second-highest scorer in Division 1, he made his mark on the glorious history of Lyon, Saint-Étienne, and Bordeaux. He also shone with the French national team. His goals helped establish Les Bleus on the international stage.

'Bernard Lacombe was a major contributor to the 1984 European Championship title. He performed some of France's greatest feats, including his goal in the opening seconds of the game against Italy at the 1978 World Cup. He was undoubtedly a source of inspiration for many strikers.

.'After his remarkable playing career, Bernard Lacombe put his footballing knowledge to work for Olympique Lyonnais, his beloved club.

'With Jean-Michel Aulas, whom I am thinking of very much in these difficult moments, he formed a duo that transformed OL into a successful club.

'Deeply attached to his city, his club, and his friends, Bernard Lacombe will be deeply missed.

'The Federation will pay tribute to him. On behalf of all French football, I extend my most sincere condolences to his family and friends.'

Bordeaux, for whom he featured 297 times and scored 137 goals, added on X: 'With immense sadness, Bernard Lacombe has just left us at the age of 72.

'Having played for [Bordeaux] between 1979 and 1987, this legendary striker left his mark on the club's history with his talent and generosity. 

'The entire Marine et Blanc family mourns today a striker of rare elegance, one of the greatest players in the club's history. Thank you, Bernard.'

- Dominic Hoogan

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ DEFENDED BY FRANCE TEAM AMID NIGHTCLUB REPORTS

Getty 

Wesley Fofana has come out in defence of France captain Kylian Mbappé after reports emerged that the Real Madrid forward had been in a nightclub in Sweden on the night of his team's UEFA Nations League win over Israel.

Mbappé had already been criticised in some corners for skipping Les Bleus' games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for Real Madrid even before Swedish publication Aftonbladet said the former Paris Saint-Germain player had been in a nightclub in Stockholm as his compatriots romped to a 4-1 win on Thursday.

The forward picked up a muscle injury in September but made an earlier-than-scheduled return to the pitch in the Champions League on Oct. 2 as Madrid suffered a shock defeat to Lille, and started their subsequent LaLiga game against Villarreal after being omitted from Didier Deschamps' squad over a lack of preparation.

"People can do what they want with their free time," Chelsea defender Fofana told a news conference Saturday. "It isn't something we [the France squad] have talked about today, I hadn't heard about this story.

"He does what he wants; he is a great guy and a great professional. Are we making too much of it? I don't know. He's the best French player, so it's normal that it is very publicised.

"I think that from time to time [the media] go a little too far. You should ask Kylian Mbappé for more information."

Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi also addressed the reports as he spoke with media.

"We have no doubts about Kylian. ... There is no question about his passion [for his country]," he said. "He loves his country; he will continue to help us. We must stop talking about it too much.

"He has days off; he can do what he wants."

France sit second in Nations League group A2. They play Belgium in Brussels on Monday.

- ESPN

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ UNDER FIRE FOR MISSING FRANCE CAMP AS CAPTAIN

France captain Kylian Mbappé is facing criticism in his home country for skipping Les Bleus' Nations League games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for Real Madrid.

The forward picked up a muscle injury last month but made his return to the pitch in the Champions League last Wednesday as Madrid suffered a shock defeat to Lille.

France coach Didier Deschamps left Mbappé out of the squad he announced on Thursday, saying the 25-year-old lacked preparation, having played too few matches.

Mbappé started Madrid's LaLiga win against Villarreal on Saturday, though he was substituted after 71 minutes.

"Either you're injured, and you don't play with your club and you're not called up in the national team," former France international Maxime Bossis told French sports daily L'Equipe on Monday.

"But when you come off the bench in the Champions League and you start a league game, it makes things fuzzy. He's a special player. We've known that with Michel Platini, when we still wanted him with us when he was injured."

Mbappé's situation is more complicated because the former Paris Saint-Germain player is the national team captain after being handed the armband ahead of Antoine Griezmann, who last week announced his retirement from international football.

Griezmann's commitment to Les Bleus was never in doubt as the Atlético Madrid forward played a record 84 consecutive matches for his country between 2017 and 2024.

"As a captain [Mbappé] must be an example for the fans, and he has not been," Fabien Bonnet, spokesperson for the Irresistibles Francais, the main France supporters' group, told L'Equipe.

"What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone."

France, second in Group A, face Israel in Budapest on Thursday and travel to Brussels to play Belgium on Monday.

- Reuters 

DESCHAMPS EXTENDS CONTRACT AS FRANCE HEAD COACH UNTIL 2026

 

Didier Deschamps has extended his stay with the French Squad head coach until 2026.