Kylian Mbappe has welcomed Zinedine Zidane as France’s new head coach after the French Football Federation officially confirmed the appointment of the former Real Madrid manager on July 28.
Shortly after the announcement, the Real Madrid forward shared a message on his Instagram story, writing:
Thanks for the submission!
“Welcome home. 🇫🇷💪🏽”
The brief message has quickly gone viral on social media, with fans interpreting it as an act that suggests Kylian Mbappe is eager to work under a man he looks up to as one of his footballing idols. Zinedine Zidane officially succeeds Didier Deschamps, who stepped down from the role after 14 years, following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The former Real Madrid manager will now focus on getting the team in top shape as France begin preparations for the 2028 UEFA European Championship. The Frenchman surely knows the weight of expectations on his shoulders and would be determined to deliver.
Zidane is best remembered for his brilliant spell at Real Madrid, where he made history by winning the UEFA Champions League in three consecutive seasons as well as multiple domestic trophies. Back then, he had Cristiano Ronaldo making the difference in attack.
This time, he has a similarly decisive attacker capable of winning the game head-on in Kylian Mbappe. The 27-year-old is currently France‘s biggest player. He proved that once again during the recently concluded World Cup, where he ran riot and picked up the Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals in eight games.
How Zinedine Zidane can get the best out of Kylian Mbappe with France
Zinedine Zidane inherits one of the world’s most complete forwards in Kylian Mbappe. But his success could be determined by how much he’s able to get out of the France captain, who has rightly established himself as the focal point of the team.
To get the job done, the former Real Madrid manager needs to build a perfect system around his star player. Kylian Mbappe’s ability to play across the front line, attack space behind defenders and thrive in transition means he could be a perfect fit for Zidane’s philosophy.
Beyond his exploits in front of goal, the 27-year-old’s experience and leadership will also be crucial, especially in the big moments. If the manager succeeds in building a system that maximises his strengths while surrounding him with the right supporting cast, France could once again emerge as one of the favourites for every major international tournament.
Edited by Vignesh Raja