Didier Deschamps concluded his historic 14-year tenure as France head coach with a final fixed annual salary estimated at €3.8 million gross. The 57-year-old, a 1998 World Cup winner, officially left his role on 31 July following the semi-final defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup.

His successor, Zinedine Zidane, has taken over with a fixed monthly salary of around €300,000 gross, a figure comparable to Deschamps's base pay. The key difference lies in the contract structure. Zidane does not receive image rights payments from the French Football Federation, but his performance-related bonuses are higher, particularly for strong World Cup or European Championship campaigns.

Evolution over 14 years

Appointed in July 2012 to succeed Laurent Blanc, Deschamps initially earned approximately €100,000 gross per month. A first extension in 5, running until the 2018 World Cup, brought a raise. After qualifying for that tournament in October 2017, his salary nearly doubled, approaching three million euros per year before bonuses.

The world title in Russia led to a new deal in December 2019. The then FFF president, Noël Le Graët, described this extension until 2022 as a 'slight increase', structured around bonuses and enhanced commercial rights. After the final loss to Argentina in 2022, a final contract until 2026 was signed, raising the fixed amount to €3.8 million. This last deal included image rights valued at about €25,000 per match, plus performance bonuses like the €290,000 earned during the 2022 run.

Deschamps announced in January 2025 that he would not renew. "I have been here since 2012, I am scheduled until 2026 for the next World Cup, but it will stop there, because it has to stop," he said. He has since turned down lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia.

A new chapter

Zinedine Zidane, 54, immediately set the tone. "I will give everything so that France remains at the top," the new manager stated. The team, under his guidance, shows solid recent form with three wins, one draw and one loss in the last five matches. They recently beat Belgium 4-1 on 5 October, with a Michael Olise brace. The next fixture is away to Italy on 12 November.

Kylian Mbappé, top scorer this season with 10 goals in 8 appearances, embodies the sporting continuity following this managerial era change. The Deschamps chapter, the longest in Les Bleus' history, is now closed.

Background and full detail: Sportune