Mbappe greets Zidane’s France appointment with concise ‘welcome home’ message

Kylian Mbappe has publicly welcomed Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as France head coach, sending the new manager a brief but pointed message after the French Football Federation ended weeks of speculation by naming the national icon as Didier Deschamps’ successor.

The French Football Federation confirmed that Zidane, who won three consecutive Champions League titles during his time in charge of Real Madrid, will take over the France national team next month. His tenure is scheduled to begin officially on 25 September with a match against Turkey.

Mbappe, recently installed as France captain and now a Real Madrid player, was among the first to respond to the announcement. The forward addressed Zidane directly with a short message of support, saying: “اهلا بك في بيتك” – “Welcome home” – underlining the warm reception the former midfielder is receiving from within the squad.

Zidane steps into the role after Deschamps’ 14-year spell in charge of “Les Bleus”, a period that delivered sustained success and established France as one of the dominant forces in international football.

Zidane handed second major coaching challenge

For Zidane, this marks a second major chapter in his managerial career following his highly successful stint at Real Madrid. The 1998 World Cup winner has been out of frontline coaching since leaving the Spanish club, but remains one of the most respected figures in the game, both in France and abroad.

The French Football Federation’s decision brings to an end the uncertainty that followed Deschamps’ departure, with Zidane now tasked with translating his club achievements into success on the international stage.

His immediate challenge will be to prepare the team for his opening fixture against Turkey on 25 September, as he begins shaping the squad and implementing his ideas in a set-up that has grown accustomed to competing for – and often winning – major honours.

Mbappe at the centre of new France project

The federation had already confirmed Mbappe as the official captain of the national team, a move framed as central to a broader strategy of building a new cycle around a younger generation of French talent.

That project will now be led by Zidane, whose status within French football gives him significant authority as he takes charge of a squad that has regularly reached the latter stages of major tournaments in recent years.

Mbappe’s swift and enthusiastic public response is seen as a sign of strong backing for the appointment from within the dressing room, with the captain’s message reinforcing the sense that Zidane’s arrival is being embraced by senior players.

Following Deschamps’ highly successful era

Zidane inherits a side transformed under Deschamps, who guided France to a series of notable achievements during his 14 years at the helm.

Under Deschamps, France won the 2018 World Cup and reached the final of the 2022 World Cup, as well as lifting the UEFA Nations League title. Those accomplishments have set a high benchmark for Zidane, who will be expected to maintain France’s presence at the top of the international game.

The new coach now faces the task of preserving the high standards established during Deschamps’ tenure, while ensuring that France remain contenders for the biggest prizes at both continental and global level.

As Zidane prepares to begin his work and Mbappe settles into his leadership role, France enter a new era with expectations undiminished and the focus firmly on extending a period of sustained success on the international stage.