Zidane fixed as France’s national coach after the World Cup

The farewell to Deschamps, with whom Zidane won the World Cup in 1998, has been certain since the beginning of 2025. The former midfielder took office in 2012 and led the Équipe Tricolore to the World Cup title in 2018 and to the World Cup final four years later. Deschamps also reached the European Championship final with France in 2016 and won the Nations League in 2021.

“The French national team is one of the best in the world and not everyone can coach it. We need someone who meets many criteria and can win the support of the French people, because this French national football team belongs to the French people,” said Diallo about the succession plan.

Zidane led Real to the premier class triumph three times

Criteria that Zidane apparently meets best. The 53-year-old won the Champions League three times as coach with Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018. After his subsequent departure, he returned to the Royals in 2019 and led the club to the championship again in 2020. Zidane has not taken on any coaching duties since 2021.

As the French sports newspaper “L’Equipe” reports, Zidane has been working on putting together his coaching team for some time. The three-time world footballer had repeatedly expressed his interest in the most important coaching job in France in the past. “I feel at home in the French national team, where I spent almost 12, 13 or 14 years as a player. Of course it’s a dream, I’m looking forward to it,” he said. The Zidane era is likely to begin with the team around Kylian Mbappé and Co. in the summer.