PARIS (Updated) — Fresh off his appointment as France men’s national football team head coach, Zinedine Zidane has built out his senior support staff by reuniting with two familiar football figures who share deep winning history with the iconic French manager. On Thursday, the French Football Federation officially announced that Fabien Barthez, Zidane’s 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship winning teammate, will take on the role of national team goalkeeper coach. The move marks a full-circle reunion for two of the most recognizable names in French football. Zidane, one of the greatest midfielders in the sport’s history, was tapped as France’s new head coach just one month prior, signing a four-year contract that will see him lead the squad through the next cycle of major international tournaments, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The bond between Zidane and Barthez goes far beyond casual professional acquaintance: the pair shared the pitch for more than a decade as core members of France’s most dominant national squad generation, helping Les Bleus claim the sport’s two biggest senior international trophies in a three-year span. For Barthez, the new role caps a decorated playing career that saw him earn 87 senior caps for France, a tally that ranks among the most for any goalkeeper in the nation’s history. His final appearance for the national side came in the dramatic 2006 World Cup final against Italy, a match that remains one of the most infamous in tournament history. It was that game where Zidane, captain of the French side, was sent off in extra time for a headbutt on Italian defender Marco Materazzi, a moment that overshadowed Barthez’s final international outing as Italy went on to win the title on penalties. Beyond his international career, Barthez built a successful club career across top European competitions, featuring for French sides Toulouse, Marseille and Monaco, as well as a trophy-laden spell with England’s Manchester United in the Premier League. Now 55, Barthez brings decades of top-level experience between the sticks to his new coaching role, tasked with developing and managing France’s current crop of goalkeeping talent. Alongside the Barthez appointment, Zidane also confirmed David Bettoni will join the staff as assistant head coach, another long-time collaborator who worked alongside Zidane during his extremely successful tenure at Spain’s Real Madrid. During Zidane’s time at the Santiago Bernabéu, Bettoni served as his right-hand assistant, and the pair led the Spanish giants to a historic three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, a feat no other manager and coaching staff has achieved in the modern era of the competition. With his full senior coaching staff now in place, Zidane is preparing for his first competitive matches in charge of France. Les Bleus are set to kick off their next Nations League campaign with two tough away fixtures: a September 25 clash against Turkey, followed by a matchup with Belgium just three days later.