Fabien Barthez joins Zidane’s new France coaching setup

Paris, July 28 - World Cup-winning goalkeeper Fabien Barthez will join the staff of France's new head coach, Zinedine Zidane, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Thursday. At 55 years old, Barthez, who was Zidane's teammate during France's 1998 World Cup victory, will be responsible for managing the national team's goalkeepers.

Barthez's experience extends beyond his playing career, as he had previously served as a consultant for the French national team under coaches Raymond Domenech and Laurent Blanc, though he did not participate during Didier Deschamps' 14-year tenure. In addition to Barthez, the FFF also appointed assistant coaches David Bettoni and Hamidou Msaidie, both longtime associates of Zidane during his time at Real Madrid.

Moreover, Gregory Dupont, who worked as a Strategy and Performance Advisor alongside Zidane at Madrid, has also been added to the team. Zidane, 54, was appointed on July 28 to replace his former teammate Didier Deschamps after France's disappointing semi-final exit from the World Cup. He is set to oversee France's first training camp in September, with their inaugural match under his leadership scheduled for a Nations League game against Turkey on September 25.