French FA working on Zinédine Zidane’s backroom staff as Les Bleus manager | OneFootball

The French FA has started formal steps for Zinédine Zidane’s appointment as Didier Deschamps’ successor as Les Bleus’ boss, L’Equipe can reveal. The Real Madrid legend has always been the clear favorite to take over from Deschamps – his former teammate with Juventus and France – with the latter making clear he will step down after the 2026 World Cup, in which France has been drawn in Group I.

Even if French FA president Philippe Diallo previously said that France would not announce Deschamps’ successor until the latter’s tenure ends in the United States, the FFF could not just remain idle until Zidane’s expected arrival. Nothing has been agreed as of yet, but the French FA has reportedly decided that Zidane would be the man tasked to lead Les Bleus for the foreseeable future.

L’Equipe reports that Zidane’s future backroom staff is already under consideration. Zidane’s trusted right-hand man David Bettoni is expected to join France’s as the first team assistant coach – a role currently held by Guy Stéphan. The outlet reveals that Zidane would be keen to assemble a larger staff than Deschamps’s, who relies on a small nucleus of three coaches – Stéphan, fitness coach Cyril Moine and goalkeeping coach Franck Raviot. Zidane is also said to request a data analyst unit once he succeed Deschamps.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval