Report: Zinedine Zidane to take over as France coach this summer

French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over his national team's head coaching duties following this summer's FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported Monday.

Zidane, whose storied playing career included captaining Les Bleus to the 1998 World Cup title on home soil, will succeed the current manager after the tournament concludes. The appointment marks a high-profile return to the touchline for the 50-year-old, who has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.

The French Football Federation has yet to confirm the move, but sources told ESPN that terms have been finalized and an announcement is expected shortly after the World Cup final. Zidane's first competitive matches in charge would come in the autumn, when France begin qualification for the next major international tournament.