Zidane tipped to coach France after 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Everything indicates that Didier Deschamps’ cycle as head coach of the French National Team will come to an end after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Even though all eyes are on lifting the third World Cup, the French Football Federation is already searching for possible replacements for the coach who has held the position since 2012. Leading the race is a national legend: Zinedine Zidane.

According to Sport, Zizou’s greatest dream since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 has been to manage Les Bleus. In recent years, he has received countless tempting offers from various clubs and national teams, but he has turned them all down while waiting for a call from the FFF.

L’Equipe, the most prestigious sports outlet in France, states that he “patiently awaits the right moment.” The report refers to a celebration held last July 12, marking the 27th anniversary of the 1998 World Cup title. There, many of Zidane’s former teammates joked about his move to the national team bench. Everyone agrees that, despite his low profile, he has been working for several months to take on that role.

The French newspaper goes further, claiming that Zidane “watches Ligue 1, European matches, and even beyond,” and “already has ideas about the future of the French national team.” They also state that “information reaches him more than he seeks it out” and that “he knows the players dream of working with him.” It’s worth noting that he has a great relationship with the current national team captain, Kylian Mbappé, as well as with the French players at Real Madrid: Tchouameni, Camavinga, and Mendy.

Lastly, L’Equipe highlights that there are several intermediaries facilitating conversations with Philippe Diallo, the president of the Federation.

Zidane’s return to the national team, in a different role, is an open secret in France. Still, they want to complete the World Cup process before refreshing the faces on the bench. It’s worth clarifying that Deschamps, captain of the 1998 World Cup-winning team, has held the position for 13 years, during which he has managed 170 matches and lifted the World Cup in Russia 2018.

The French have started their journey to the World Cup in North America on the right foot. They defeated Ukraine 2-0 and this Tuesday, at 15:45, will host Iceland for the second matchday of Group D.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.