Didier Deschamps’ reign as the France national football team manager is coming to an end as the Les Bleus endured a heartbreaking defeat in the semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026. With Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scoring for Spain, Kylian Mbappe and his men lost the knockout fixture 2-0. Deschamps, who has been at the helm of French football for nearly 14 years, will take the managerial hot seat for the last time during the third-place play-off, where his team will meet either England or Argentina.
Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is now set to succeed Deschamps as the France head coach, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. This transition was almost confirmed before the World Cup, with Deschamps revealing that he would leave the position after wrapping up the campaign.
When will Zinedine Zidane become France football team manager?
Right after the first semi-final concluded in Dallas, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the “Zidane era” would begin in French football. Though there is no official announcement as of now, Romano claimed that the French football federation will proceed with the formalities, including signing the required documents, once the FIFA World Cup 2026 is over. Zidane remains excited about the national team job, as he rejected several options over the last eight months.
Zinedine Zidane’s Record As Manager
Zinedine Zidane, a 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, could be a new name in the international circuit, but his portfolio with Real Madrid is quite fascinating. The former French footballer has managed both the youth and the senior teams of Los Blancos, achieving tremendous success across domestic and continental tournaments.
As a Real Madrid manager, Zidane won three UEFA Champions League and two La Liga titles. He coached the Spanish giants in more than 250 matches across two spells, registering a 66 percent winning record. Now he will look to replicate the success with the France national football team, who won their last FIFA World Cup under Deschamps in 2018 and reached the final of the following edition in Qatar. The French federation is expected to unveil Zidane as their new manager before the 2026-27 season begins.
