Zidane must break the Ballon d’Or curse with France

Zinédine Zidane, former number ten of the French national team, takes the reins of the Bleus after having won a Ballon d’Or, a World Cup and three Champions Leagues as Real Madrid’s coach. His first test will take place on Friday in Turkey, where he will have to prove that he can turn his record into international success.

An impressive record but a historic trap

This exceptional journey suggests that Zidane has all the tools needed to lead the Bleus to the top. His stint at Real has already shown his ability to manage stars and win under pressure. Yet, history delivers a serious warning to Ballon d’Or winners who have become national team coaches.

Ballon d’Or winners who have taken charge of a national side have rarely secured a major title. Apart from one exception, they struggle to turn their individual prestige into collective triumph. This rarity makes Zidane’s mission all the more demanding.

Franz Beckenbauer remains the sole exception: he led West Germany to the 1990 World Cup, thus winning the only major title among former Ballon d’Or winners at the helm of a national team. This precedent, thirty‑six years old, shows the difficulty of moving from legend status to that of a national team coach.

Zidane turned down a return to Real to stay loyal to the Blues

Attempts without a major trophy

Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Hristo Stoichkov, Lothar Matthäus, Oleg Blokhin and Andriy Shevchenko have all tried their hand at the job without ever lifting a continental or world cup. Shevchenko led Ukraine to the quarter‑finals of Euro 2021, while Blokhin reached the same stage at the 2006 World Cup, but none secured a decisive title.

This rarity adds an extra dimension to Zidane’s mission. His early selections at the helm of the French national team show that he wants to quickly imprint his mark, despite limited training time and the inability to recruit new players. His Madrid experience proves he knows how to manage champions and win under pressure.

Zidane relies on a daring midfield trio to face Turkey

To join Beckenbauer, Zidane will have to succeed where almost all other Ballon d’Or winners turned coaches have failed. The challenge awaiting him in Turkey will be the first indicator of his ability to turn his player legacy into a coaching success.