Kylian Mbappe Welcomes Zinedine Zidane as New France Head Coach

France national team forward Kylian Mbappe has warmly welcomed Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of Les Bleus, just hours after the manager signed a four year contract to succeed Didier Deschamps.

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A new era for Les Bleus

Zidane one of France's greatest ever players and a two time World Cup winner, takes over the national team from his former teammate Deschamps. His long term contract will see him guide the squad through the next major tournament cycle up to the World Cup 2030.

Following the official announcement, Kylian Mbappe took to Instagram to express his support. Sharing a photo of the new manager, the forward wrote a simple message:

"Welcome home"

The captaincy question

Zidane’s appointment arrives amid early speculation regarding the team's leadership structure. The new manager addressed the situation during his introduction confirming that the captain's armband will be a primary topic of conversation in the near future.

"We will have the opportunity to discuss the captaincy with him and with all the players next September" Zidane stated, opting to delay any final decisions until he officially meets with the squad.

Mbappe's record-breaking form

Mbappe enters this new managerial era following a spectacular individual campaign at the recent World Cup.

The forward claimed the tournament's top scorer award with 10 goals. This achievement brought his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals, surpassing Argentine star Lionel Messi by a single goal to become the competition's all time leading scorer.

What happens next?

Zidane will spend the coming weeks evaluating the player pool ahead of his first official matches in charge. The September international break will serve as his inaugural camp where crucial discussions regarding the captaincy and the team's tactical direction for the upcoming qualifiers will take place.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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