After Deschamps' Departure... Zinedine Zidane Tops the Candidates to Lead France

SadaNews - Coach Didier Deschamps has ended his tenure as head coach of the French national football team on Saturday evening after leading his country to a fourth-place finish in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following a 4-6 defeat to England, marking another disappointment after the semi-final exit by Spain.

Despite finishing in fourth place, this is a frustrating end to Deschamps’ career, as many had tipped the French national team, thanks to its star-studded attacking lineup, to win the World Cup title again.

The French Football Federation is widely expected to announce the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the team's new head coach in the coming days.

Deschamps’ Years

Deschamps led France to victory in the World Cup in 2018, then lost the final in penalties in 2022, before being outmaneuvered tactically by Spain in the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament last Tuesday.

During his 14 years in charge, Deschamps has won only one major title, albeit the most important one, while losing the final of the European Championship on home soil in 2016.

Some observers believe that this achievement does not match the level of talent that the French team had, such as Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, and Antoine Griezmann, along with Ballon d'Or winners Ousmane Dembélé and Karim Benzema, while others argue that France maintained a stable and distinguished level under Deschamps, who is now 57 years old.

Regardless of the viewpoint, the next coach for France will find himself facing a difficult task in succeeding Deschamps, and having a personality as significant as Zidane will be a crucial factor. As one of the greatest players in French history and an extremely successful coach with Real Madrid, Zidane seems to be the ideal choice.

Despite their completely different styles as players, Zidane and Deschamps remain linked to the glories of French football.

Deschamps, the hardworking midfielder, was the tireless leader when France won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000, while Zidane was the creative mind and attacking force that led that generation to new heights.

What Can Zidane Change?

The 2-0 defeat of France against Spain in the semi-finals was harsher than the score suggests.

The Spanish team clearly outperformed tactically and dominated the midfield, while the French team failed to apply the required pressure, and the attack looked helpless, with Deschamps having no contingency plan to change the course of the match.

Throughout his years with the national team, Deschamps faced many criticisms, notably from his former teammate Christophe Dugarry, who believed his style was overly defensive and lacked creativity in the midfield.

Zidane, nicknamed "Zizou", is likely to prefer a more attacking style, similar to what he offered when he was a playmaker roaming the pitch. Players like Michael Oliseh or Ryan Cherki may be capable of fulfilling this role.

Both players possess great technical skills, even if they are not traditional playmakers as Zidane was, while Ousmane Dembélé could be another option if he drops deeper, a role he performed successfully with Paris Saint-Germain.

Karim Benzema is one of the players close to Zidane, as their relationship strengthened during his coaching tenure at Real Madrid.

The duo won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles together between 2016 and 2018, and Benzema developed under Zidane to become a more complete player and more effective scorer. However, at 38 years old, his return might face obstacles.

Nevertheless, the stunning performance of Argentine Lionel Messi in the current World Cup, despite being 39, might lead Zidane to believe that Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, can still contribute, especially if he plays in a deeper role that utilizes his technical skills and playmaking ability.

Critics of Deschamps have not forgiven him for excluding Benzema for nearly six years after he was accused of involvement in a blackmail case concerning a sex tape targeting his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

However, the French national team won the World Cup in 2018 without Benzema.

Benzema returned to the national team before the 2021 European Championship and ended the tournament as France's top scorer with four goals, forming a distinguished duo with Mbappe when the team won the UEFA Nations League that same year.

However, the relationship between Benzema and Deschamps soured again after his exclusion from the 2022 World Cup due to a thigh injury, with the player questioning the narrative regarding the circumstances of his departure from the camp.

Bringing him back could be a bold move for Zidane, but it remains a viable option.

The question remains whether Zidane is ready to take on such a significant role after stepping away from coaching since leaving Real Madrid in his second term in 2021.

On the flip side, he would enter the role fresh, after several years away from the pressures of coaching and media scrutiny.

If Zidane, 54 years old, takes charge of the national team, his first match away will be against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on September 25, followed by a clash with Belgium three days later.

The French public will have to wait until October 2 to see Zidane for the first time at the Stade de France when France hosts Italy.

Zidane's last match with the French team was against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final, where he scored an early goal from a penalty shot in the "Panenka" style, before being sent off in extra time after the famous headbutt incident with Italian defender Marco Materazzi.

France lost the final on penalties, but French fans quickly forgave Zidane, given his immense stature in their hearts and the exceptional relationship he has with the country.