Zinedine Zidane, the new head coach of the France national team, is receiving special and unprecedented security measures for someone holding the position of head coach of "Les Bleus", given the immense popularity enjoyed by the French football legend both inside and outside his country, despite his long absence from coaching.
Minutes after announcing his first squad, Zidane appeared outside the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Paris. Around 100 fans had gathered to greet him, chanting, singing and jostling to get close and take photos with him.
French fans chanted slogans in support of Zidane, including "Zizou, I love you", a scene that captured the warmth of the welcome he received on his first appearance in the role. His name had long held a special status among the French public.
The interest did not stop at the public reception. Newspaper "L'Équipe" revealed that the French Football Federation had spent recent weeks discussing security measures for the new coach, one of the most prominent sporting icons in France.
According to the newspaper, Zidane will enjoy greater protection than his predecessor Didier Deschamps. A personal bodyguard will accompany him, alongside a dedicated security member within the team assembled by the French Football Federation.
Those arrangements mirror the ones the French Federation put in place to protect Kylian Mbappé during the last World Cup, with a large public presence expected around Zidane during his appearances in his new role.
French Federation officials do not link the tighter measures to any specific fears. They stress that the aim is to give Zidane the greatest possible calm and comfort, especially as public and media interest in his return to the spotlight through the French national team continues to grow.
All of this marks the start of Zidane's era with the France national team, a mission that carries exceptional attention. The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner has gone from one of the most prominent stars in the team's history to the man responsible for leading it on the pitch.