<p>In this paper, MoS₂–ZrN composite coatings with a Chromium interlayer were fabricated using magnetron sputtering technique. The structure and properties of the MoS₂–ZrN composite coatings with different ZrN contents were systematically investigated. It was observed that both hardness and elastic modulus improved with increasing ZrN content, reaching peak values of 6.60 GPa and 109.95 GPa, respectively, at 30% ZrN. Tribological performance was assessed using steel balls with varying surface roughness, where the lowest coefficient of friction of 0.09 was recorded when the coating was paired with a smoother counterface. Abrasive wear was identified as the dominant wear mechanism. Additionally, a contact mechanics model was developed to describe the interaction between a rough spherical indenter and the coating surface. This model enabled analysis of how surface roughness and coating mechanical properties jointly affect macroscopic contact parameters, such as real and nominal pressure distributions and contact radius. A good qualitative agreement was found between the experimental results and theoretical predictions, confirming the model's validity.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>