Zidane reunites with Barthez as he names France coaching staff

Zinedine Zidane has reunited with former France team-mate Fabien Barthez after naming his coaching staff for the national team ahead of his first campaign as head coach.

The French Football Federation (FFF) announced a 23-member staff on Thursday, with Barthez appointed as goalkeeping coach.

The federation said the staff had been “named by its president, Philippe Diallo, on the proposal of the new coach,” and will be presented in full at the beginning of September.

Zidane’s appointment marks his return to management after leaving Real Madrid in 2021, having won three consecutive Champions League titles during his time in charge of the Spanish club.

Barthez returns to France set-up

Barthez is the only member of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad to feature on Zidane’s coaching staff.

The former goalkeeper replaces Franck Raviot and will reunite with Zidane, with the pair having also played together in France’s Euro 2000 triumph.

Their reunion brings together two key figures from one of the most successful periods in French football history.

Zidane takes charge of France following Didier Deschamps’ departure after the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps guided Les Bleus to their second World Cup title in 2018 and remained in the role until the end of the tournament.

Zidane brings trusted Real Madrid assistant

David Bettoni, who worked alongside Zidane at Real Madrid, has also joined the France set-up as an assistant coach.

Bettoni replaces Guy Stephan, while Hamidou Msaidie and Farid Tabet have been appointed as additional assistant coaches.

The wider staff includes performance adviser Gregory Dupont, scout Stephane Plancque and video analyst Clement Ybert, alongside medical and support personnel.

The appointments give Zidane the opportunity to work with several familiar figures as he begins his first international management role.

First France squad due in September

Zidane will name his first France squad in mid-September as the new era gets under way.

France are scheduled to play three UEFA Nations League matches, beginning with an away game against Turkey on 25 September.

They will then travel to face Belgium on 28 September before hosting Italy on 2 October.

For Zidane, the fixtures will provide his first opportunity to put his ideas into practice and begin building the France side he hopes can compete for major international honours.

His return to management has attracted major attention across world football, while his reunion with Barthez adds another link to the generation that helped establish France among the game’s elite.