Zinedine Zidane has reportedly reached an agreement with the French Football Federation (FFF) to become the next head coach of the France national team, with the transition expected to take place following the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The appointment, if it proceeds as anticipated, would bring the curtain down on Didier Deschamps’ remarkable tenure as Les Bleus manager. Deschamps has been at the helm since 2012 — a reign that produced a World Cup triumph in Russia in 2018 and a runners-up finish in Qatar in 2022 — and is expected to step down once the 2026 tournament concludes.
For many French football fans, this is a moment that has felt inevitable. Zidane — a World Cup winner with France in 1998, a Ballon d’Or recipient, and one of the most celebrated players in the history of the game — has long been viewed as the natural heir to the national team job.
His managerial credentials are equally compelling. At Real Madrid, he delivered back-to-back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles, a feat no other manager has achieved in the modern era, establishing himself as a world-class coach capable of handling the highest-pressure environments in football.
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Should the transition proceed smoothly after the 2026 tournament — co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — Zidane would inherit a French squad still brimming with elite talent and genuine World Cup ambitions.
His appointment would mark one of the most significant managerial shifts in international football in years, and signal the beginning of a new chapter for a nation that has consistently been among the sport’s dominant forces.
France’s golden generation may be ageing, but with Zidane in the technical area, the dream will be very much alive.