For a while now, it’s been one of those conversations that never really goes away: When will Zinedine Zidane take over France?
It now looks like there’s finally an answer. Reports say Zidane has a verbal agreement in place to replace Didier Deschamps, but only after the 2026 World Cup. Until then, Deschamps stays exactly where he is.
That part matters. Because whatever comes next, Deschamps’ time with France has already been significant. He took over in 2012 and turned the team into something reliable again. The 2018 World Cup win is the obvious peak, but just as important is how regularly France have been in the mix at major tournaments since.
At some point, though, these cycles move on. By 2026, it’ll probably feel like the right moment. Zinedine Zidane stepping in won’t just be a managerial change. It carries a bit more weight than that, given who he is and what he represents in French football.
Zinedine Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps as France national team head coach in the summer, with a verbal agreement already reached, sources have told @LaurensJulien.
He will officially be appointed once the 2026 World Cup is concluded for France. pic.twitter.com/w0fzvaU5cc
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 23, 2026
Zinedine Zidane’s success as Real Madrid manager
You don’t really need to overthink Zidane’s credentials. His spell at Real Madrid already answered most questions.
Three Champions League titles in a row , that alone puts him in a very small group. It’s the kind of record people will keep bringing up for years, especially because of how difficult it is to repeat success in that competition.
What stood out, though, was how his team handled pressure. Madrid rarely looked rattled in big moments. There was a sense that they knew exactly when to step up, and more often than not, they did.
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That’s something France could use. International football isn’t always about long-term systems sometimes it’s just about getting key decisions right in tight games. For now, nothing changes immediately. Deschamps still has a World Cup ahead. But once that’s done, Zidane taking over feels less like a surprise and more like something that’s simply been waiting its turn.
That said, it would certainly be interesting to see how Zinedine Zidane takes to managing the French national team after previously proving his abilities as a Real Madrid manager.
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