Former Man Utd star and World Cup winner joins Zinedine Zidane’s new France set-up in shock selection

FABIEN BARTHEZ has linked back up with old pal Zinedine Zidane after being handed a surprise role with France. The former Manchester United keeper, 55, has been named as Les Bleus’ new goalkeeping coach. Fabien Barthez (far left) will join Zinedine Zidane’s France backroom staff Credit: AFP The shotstopper will take on the role of goalkeeper coach with Les Bleus Credit: Getty France officially unveiled Zidane’s brand new backroom team on Thursday morning after he replaced Didier Deschamps in the top job. And Barthez is one of the standout names joining the Real Madrid legend as France look ahead to Euro 2028 in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The duo are by no means strangers, having been at the heart of France’s golden generation – winning the 1998 World Cup together before following it up with a Euro 2000 victory. Since their retirement from professional football, their paths still seem to regularly cross at reunions for their 1998 side and charity games. Barthez will now be tasked with looking after France’s keepers, taking over from Franck Raviot. The shot-stopper – who earned 87 caps – became France’s undisputed No1 shortly after UEFA Euro 1996. And it stayed that way until his international retirement in 2006. His name is also remembered among Man Utd fans after Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Old Trafford from Monaco in 2000. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS France will have their first test under Zidane in September against Turkey in the Nations LeagueCredit: Refer to source Barthez spent four seasons at Old Trafford, making 139 appearances and lifting TWO Premier League titles. Zidane has also turned to a familiar face in David Bettoni, who worked alongside him during both of his trophy-laden spells at Real Madrid from 2016 to 2018, and 2019 to 2021. Hamidou Msaidie, Gregory Dupont, Stephane Plancque, Farid Tabet and Clement Ybert make up the rest of Zidane’s technical team. Long-serving security chief Mohamed Sanhadji had raised some questions as to whether he would survive the shake-up. Before the 2026 World Cup, the French Football Federation (FFF) advertised for a new head of security just days before the squad met up at Clairefontaine. It was revealed that the former police commander – who has held the role since 2004 – received a donation from Kylian Mbappe in 2022, which he had declared. But his FFF superiors thought it was irregular. Nevertheless, then-boss Didier Deschamps stood his ground and made it clear they did not want to head to the US without him. Reports suggest that Zidane is also keen to keep him around. The France team will get their first taste of action together under Zidane when they travel to Turkey in the Nations League on September 25. Comment now