Zinedine Zidane has officially taken over as France manager following Didier Deschamps' departure. League standing: 1st in World Cup, 9 pts, 3W-0D-0L from 3 games, recent form LLWWW. According to Daniel Riolo, the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner has already chosen his number 10: Rayan Cherki. ## Why Cherki and not Olise? While Michael Olise was mentioned for the playmaker role, Zidane reportedly prefers Cherki's profile. « Zidane has something Deschamps never really had: a player like Cherki. If Cherki confirms he will become a top international number 10, I think Zidane will rely on him », Riolo said on RMC Sport. ## Zidane's influence on Cherki's decision Nabil Djellit revealed that Zidane's appointment as France manager influenced Cherki's decision to represent Les Bleus. « The fact that Zidane is taking over from Deschamps convinced some players, like Cherki, to choose France », he explained to RTL. ## What to expect from Zidane's first game? Zidane's first game in charge is scheduled for September 25 in Turkey. Next fixture: vs Türkiye (away, 2026-09-25). With Cherki as number 10, fans hope for a fresh start after a string of losses. Recent form (last 5): 1W-0D-4L (LLLLW, most recent first).