Zinedine Zidane Returns as France National Team Coach

Zinedine Zidane is heading back to the France national team – this time with a suit, a notebook and the weight of a nation on his shoulders.

According to L’Équipe, the 1998 World Cup winner has agreed to take over as head coach of Les Bleus, with his tenure set to begin on September 1. Reports suggest his contract will run until mid-2030, a long-term commitment that underlines the French federation’s faith in the man who once defined their golden era on the pitch.

While the country prepares for the return of “Zizou” to the national setup, another Zidane has already taken a very different path.

Luca Zidane, the son who chose Algeria

Last September, Luca Zidane turned his back on the possibility of representing France and instead opted for Algeria. The 28-year-old goalkeeper, born and raised in the shadow of his father’s legend, committed his international future to the North African nation and went on to feature at this World Cup as Algeria’s starting keeper.

He did it the hard way. Luca arrived at the tournament carrying a chin and jaw injury, yet still took his place between the posts. No fanfare, no headlines to match his surname, just a goalkeeper determined to carve out his own story.

His decision to switch allegiance carried symbolic weight. While Zinedine Zidane prepares to lead Les Bleus from the dugout, Luca has aligned himself with the country of his family’s roots, a choice that speaks as much to identity as it does to opportunity on the international stage.

From Madrid’s academy to Spain’s second tier

Luca’s journey has never been straightforward, and it certainly hasn’t been handed to him.

He came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid, a club where his father enjoyed one of the most successful coaching spells in modern football. Luca made his professional debut there in 2018, at a time when Zinedine was in charge of the first team. He would go on to make two La Liga appearances for the Spanish giants before moving on in search of regular football.

During his final season at Real Madrid, he was loaned to Racing de Santander, a move that offered him the chance to play meaningful minutes away from the glare of the Bernabéu and the constant comparisons that follow his surname.

In 2020, he signed a two-year deal with Rayo Vallecano, another step in a career built in Spain but away from the elite limelight. After that, he spent two seasons with SD Eibar between 2022 and 2024, establishing himself in the demanding environment of Spain’s second tier.

That path led him to his current club, Granada CF, also in La Liga 2, where he continues to fight for his place and his reputation on his own terms.

As Zinedine Zidane prepares to walk back into the Stade de France as head coach, the contrast is striking: the father, a national icon trusted with the future of Les Bleus; the son, a World Cup goalkeeper for Algeria, grinding away in Spain’s second division. Two careers, one famous name, and a reminder that football legacies rarely follow a single script.