The French national team will no longer be led by head coach Guillaume Gille. His successor has already been named: Talant Dujshebaev.
Following the quarter-final defeat at the 2024 Olympics and a challenging European Championship this year, where "Les Bleus" finished in 7th place, Gille felt it was time to hand over the reins.
The Russian-born Spaniard, who is currently coaching Kielce, has been chosen to take over. He will begin a new project with an eye on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"It is truly an honor for me to coach the French national team. In fact, it’s something I have wanted more than anything because France has an incredible generation of players. My goal with these players is clear: to win everything, to dominate again, especially against Germany, Denmark... I am very proud that the French federation considered me, and honestly, extremely proud to have been chosen for this project," he said in Tuesday’s official statement.
This marks the first time since Bernhard Kempa in 1958 that a foreign coach will lead the French national team. He will take up his duties on 16 March and will face... Spain in a double friendly match.
As a head coach, Dujshebaev has previously managed Hungary and Poland.