Following the painful 2-0 defeat against Spain in the 26 FIFA World Cup semi-final, France’s national team seeks to replace Deschamps. The move would usher in the end of a 14-year tenure that saw France reach three consecutive World Cup semifinals.
“The verbal agreement has been in place for months as Zizou will replace Didier Deschamps, waiting for all formal steps,” sports journalist Fabrizio Romano reported.
ESPN also reported in March that former France star Zinedine Zidane will be the France national team’s next manager after reaching a verbal agreement with the federation.
Zidane’s stellar coaching record
Zidane became the manager of Real Madrid Castilla, Real Madrid’s B team, in 2014, before taking over Real Madrid in the early days of 2016. The team went on to win La Liga in 2017 and capture three consecutive Champions League titles. But Zidane surprisingly resigned days after the 2018 Champions League final.
His time away from coaching didn’t last long, as Real Madrid re-hired him early in 2019 for another stint that lasted more than two years. Real Madrid won another La Liga title under Zidane but he left the club in May of 2021.
A longtime Ambition
Zidane has long expressed his passion and ambition toward becoming the head coach of the French national team.
“I want to be head coach of France, of course. I will be, I hope, one day,” Zidane once said.
“When? It’s not up to me, but I want to come full circle with the France team. I knew this French team as a player, and it’s the most beautiful thing that’s ever happened to me.
Zidane is reported to have recently turned down several approaches from top clubs to fulfill his dream missions of leading Les Bleus.
“This is the pinnacle,” he said of what the French coaching spot means to him. “And so, as I experienced that and today I am a coach, the France team is firmly rooted in my head.”
The former playmaker also spoke of the special , sometimes daunting responsibility of managing the French team. Still, he insisted, being in that position would be the ultimate culmination of his playing and coaching career. “When I say that I want to take the France team one day, I take responsibility for saying so. Today, a team is in place, with its goals. But if the opportunity comes next, then I’ll be there.” he stressed.
