Fabien Barthez has been appointed France’s goalkeeping coach, reuniting with new head coach Zinédine Zidane 28 years after the pair helped France win the 1998 World Cup.
The French Football Federation (FFF) announced the first members of Zidane’s coaching staff on Thursday, confirming that Barthez, 55, will take charge of the national team’s goalkeepers.
The two former internationals were team-mates throughout France’s successful run at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. They also played together at the 2006 World Cup, where France reached the final before losing to Italy on penalties.
Zidane, who was appointed France manager on 28 July, said at his presentation that he had spent the previous four to five years waiting for the opportunity to coach the national team.
“It’s a joy and obviously a great pride to become the coach of the France national team,” Zidane said at the time. He described the appointment as the fulfilment of a long-standing ambition.
Barthez won 87 caps for France and was the starting goalkeeper when the team defeated Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup final. He also helped France win Euro 2000, completing a World Cup-European Championship double.
His return to the national set-up follows earlier work with France after his playing career. Barthez served as a technical adviser for the national team’s goalkeepers around Laurent Blanc’s tenure and had previously worked with the squad during Raymond Domenech’s period in charge. He also spent part of 2020 and 2021 as a consultant with Toulouse.
Zidane has brought several former colleagues from his time at Real Madrid into the new staff. David Bettoni and Hamidou Msaidie have been appointed assistant coaches, while Stéphane Plancque joins as an analyst. Grégory Dupont, who was France’s physical trainer during its 2018 World Cup-winning campaign and later worked at Real Madrid, is also returning.
Philippe Boixel, an osteopath who previously worked with the French national team, is another addition. The FFF said the full coaching staff would be finalised and presented in September.
Zidane officially began his four-year mandate on 1 August, succeeding Didier Deschamps after France’s run to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup. Spain beat France 2-0 in the last four on 15 July.
France’s first match under Zidane will be away to Turkey in the Nations League on 25 September. The team will then face Belgium away before hosting Italy and Belgium in October.