Zinedine Zidane to take charge of France, first coaching role since 2021 | OneFootball

In the last few hours, a new scandal has come to light involving Kylian Mbappé and the anger of his teammates over privileged treatment in the French national team, after he was released from training camp following the team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup through the European Qualifiers. And now, a piece of news has been confirmed that is shaking up the entire scene…

It has long been known that Didier Deschamps will not continue as coach beyond the World Cup. Although this has been planned for many months, it was never entirely clear who would replace him—something that has changed in recent days. For this reason, in this controversial context within the French locker room, the news comes as a breath of fresh air.

The truth is that Zinedine Zidane will be the new head coach of France. After the World Cup takes place in North America between June and July, Deschamps will step aside and leave the position vacant. That spot will be filled by the legendary midfielder who made a lasting impact on football and who has not managed a team for quite some time.

The information, reported by French media and confirmed by AS, is clear: Zidane will coach France. It is only a matter of time—once the World Cup being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada concludes—before we see him on the bench. For his part, Deschamps has a strong chance of continuing his career with a team in Saudi Arabia.

It’s worth remembering that Zinedine has not been active since 2021, when he left Real Madrid. After a brief stint with Castilla, his time with the Merengues was his first and, so far, his last major challenge. The results speak for themselves: 3 consecutive UEFA Champions Leagues, 2 Club World Cups, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 La Ligas, and 2 Spanish Super Cups.

Meanwhile, Didier has been in charge of the French national team since 2012, so this would mark the end of a long, uninterrupted 14-year process. He managed the 2014 World Cup, was crowned world champion in 2018, and recently lost the final in Qatar 2022 against the Argentina national team. Additionally, he participated in 3 European Championships and another 3 Nations Leagues, winning the 2021 edition.

KEY FACTS

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