Zinedine Zidane reportedly reaches an agreement to coach France, ruling out a return to Real Madrid

While Zinedine Zidane established himself as one of the best coaches in the world, he has remained away from soccer for several years. Amid the instability surrounding Real Madrid, president Florentino Pérez had reportedly been closely monitoring his possible return. However, the veteran now appears to have decided his future, as he has reportedly reached an agreement to coach France.

According to Julien Laurens via ESPN, Didier Deschamps will step down at the end of the 2026 World Cup, leaving his position as France’s head coach. In response, the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) has decided to back Zinedine Zidane, who will take over the national team after the anticipated tournament following a verbal agreement.

Far from being an easy task, Zidane will face the biggest challenge of his entire coaching career. Deschamps not only led the team to victory at the 2018 World Cup, but also to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League title. While Zinedine has already excelled at Real Madrid, he has no experience with national teams, making his appointment a clear gamble for the FFF.

Having been one of France’s greatest legends, Zinedine Zidane could enjoy the unconditional support of the national team’s locker room, making his arrival and adjustment easier. Furthermore, the coach has demonstrated a knack for managing big egos, which could provide a significant boost to a project that seems to have lost momentum in recent years.

Didier Deschamps never quite won over French fans

Didier Deschamps has become one of the most important figures in France national team history. Not only did he win the 1998 World Cup as a player, but he also won it as head coach in 2018. Despite this, the 57-year-old coach never quite won over the fans, who complained about the lack of a recognizable playing style for such a talented roster.

Even though they have stars like Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, and Michael Olise, France have remained overly reliant on the individual talents. Due to a lack of teamwork, they tend to struggle against well-organized teams like Spain. Furthermore, they have struggled with these issues since his arrival on the team in 2012, growing fans criticism.

Zidane could be the key factor for France project

Throughout his career as a coach, Zinedine Zidane has not managed to impose a style in which his teams dominate matches through possession and creative play. However, he did ensure that his Real Madrid squad had the ability to adapt to opponents, adjusting their approach to secure victories. Along with his strong man-management, this could make him a key figure for France.

Unlike Deschamps, the former Real Madrid coach does maintain significant rotation within his teams, giving players consistent minutes and keeping them engaged. In addition, Zidane could take advantage of his players’ pace to maximize talents like Mbappé or Dembélé, much like he did with Los Blancos to hurt opponents.