Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that he would like to manage the French national football team someday, though he did not specify whether he hopes to succeed Didier Deschamps, who is set to leave his position soon.
The former Real Madrid coach, who famously scored twice in France’s 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, remains one of the sport’s most respected figures. During his only senior managerial role so far, Zidane led Real Madrid to an impressive three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, cementing his place among football’s elite managers.
Speaking at an event organized by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 53-year-old expressed his eagerness to return to coaching, saying, “I’m sure I’ll get back into coaching.” Zidane continued, “I’m not saying it’s going to happen now, what I want one day is to coach the national team.”
Zidane is widely regarded as the top candidate to take over from Deschamps once the 2018 World Cup-winning coach steps down after next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Reflecting on what makes a great manager, Zidane shared, “The most important thing is to have a passion for football and to want to pass on something to your players, what you have in you, deep within you.” He further emphasized, “A coach has an important role in the success of his team. In my opinion his energy and desire are 80 percent of whether things go well.”
Zidane’s remarks have reignited excitement among fans eager to see him bring his leadership, experience, and winning mentality to the French national side, where his journey as a football icon first began.
What you should know
Zinedine Zidane, a French football legend, guided Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles before stepping down in 2021.
Known for his brilliance both as a player and coach, Zidane is strongly favored to succeed Didier Deschamps as France’s head coach after the 2026 World Cup.
