Bettoni, Msaidie, Diomède... the loyalists Zidane plans to bring to Les Bleus
Ahead of his official appointment as France head coach to succeed Didier Deschamps, Zinedine Zidane is preparing a bold decision that breaks with 14 years of habits when it comes to his coaching staff.
Ahead of officially succeeding Didier Deschamps at the helm of the France national team, Zinedine Zidane is preparing to break with fourteen years of habits through a bold decision regarding the size and make-up of his coaching staff.
A staff of unprecedented size
Zidane intends to rely on a particularly large staff that could number more than 25 people — a first in the history of the France national team. The move reflects his wish to place far greater emphasis on performance analysis and statistical data, by strengthening the team's "data" department.
Trusted faces from his Real Madrid years
Zidane is expected to rely on loyal aides who were already by his side during his years in charge of Real Madrid, starting with David Bettoni and Hamidou Msaidie. Stéphane Plancque, chief analyst within his organisation and in charge of scouting reports on upcoming opponents, is also expected to be part of the project, as is Bernard Diomède, the current France U19 head coach, who would take on an assistant role with the senior side. Zidane is also keen to bring more women into his staff, particularly in specialist roles.
The handover still to come
Didier Deschamps is currently taking charge of his very last match as France boss, in the 2026 World Cup third-place match against England on 18 July, before Zidane's appointment is officially confirmed once the tournament ends, with him taking up his duties from September 2026.
