Former Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane has agreed a deal to take the reins of the French national team. Zidane will reportedly start as Les Blues boss on September 1st.
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Deschamps exiting after England defeat
Zidane’s predecessor Didier Deschamps resigned from his role after France suffered a 6-4 defeat against England in a hectic third-place game at the World Cup.
France was one of the favourites to lift the trophy and looked strong until suffering a 2-0 semi-final defeat against eventual champions Spain.
Deschamps has been in charge of the French national team for 14 years. The highlight of his reign with France was winning the 2018 World Cup, when Les Bleus defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final.
France also made it to the final of the 2022 World Cup, only to be defeated by Argentina in a penalty shootout.
He is one of a small band of people who have won the World Cup as a player and a coach.
Zidane is a logical choice
Zinedine Zidane seems to be a logical replacement for Deschamps, who he played alongside in Les Bleus’ successful 1998 World Cup campaign. The 54-year-old is a bona fide French legend, having been the star of that team, with his most influential display against Brazil in a 3-0 final win.
Although some are concerned about his five-year hiatus from the beautiful game, Zidane’s legendary CV speaks for itself.
He is considered one of the finest footballers France has ever produced. However, he didn’t just impress during his playing days.
Zidane’s coaching credentials were clear to all at Real Madrid, as he guided Los Blancos to two La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues from 2016 until 2021.
Zidane takes over a team brimming with talent and potential. Les Bleus have been contenders for the last three World Cups, but have won the trophy once.
The ex-Real Madrid boss is considered a more charismatic figure than his former teammate.
Although Zidane has seemingly been lurking in the background, with many suggesting that he should replace Deschamps as national team head coach, Zidane has always tried to be respectful to his ex-captain at international level.
His appointment is likely to lead to a change of playing style. The prospect of Zinedine Zidane managing the current French squad could be a frightening one for the rest of the international game.