Zinedine Zidane, without a club since leaving Real Madrid in June 2021, continues to harbour ambitions of taking the reins of the French team. However, this aspiration is currently blocked by Didier Deschamps, in office since 2012 and whose contract runs until July 2026.
In the meantime, the former world champion and 1998 Ballon d’Or winner has been linked to several major European clubs, such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Juventus Turin, and even Olympique Marseille. In addition to this, his friend and former teammate Christophe Dugarry actively campaigns for his appointment as head of Les Bleus, while sometimes voicing criticism of Les Bleus under Deschamps.
“He’s wrong, Zizou is interested in the French team”
However, some observers, such as Jean-Michel Larqué, are deeply sceptical about the idea of Zidane becoming coach of the French national team. “I’m ready to take the bet: Zinedine Zidane will never take the French teamsaid the former Paris Saint-Germain coach.
That’s my feeling. I don’t think he’s interested. He gave a polite answer to a question that was asked of him but he doesn’t believe a single word of it. In any case, I’m not sure that Zidane will do better than Deschamps. We can do better but the last 12 years that we’ve just experienced with the French team, it’s at an exceptional level.”
Following these comments, the former Girondins player wanted to respond. “Everyone speaks for him. The few times he has spoken, he has said that he was interested in the French team. He has at least the merit of being consistent. He has been said to want to go to Italy, England, Bayern Munich… each time, he doesn’t even answer. Where I agree with Jean-Michel (Larqué, editor’s note) is that maybe we will never see Zizou as a coach again. Yes, it’s possible. But when Jean-Michel says that Zizou is not interested in the French team, he is wrong. Zizou is interested in the French team. If he has to coach again, his greatest and wildest desire is to be coach of the French team.”Dugarry said.
“Thank you Didier (Deschamps) for what you have done”
The former French striker, however, admits that he does not know whether the former French number 10 will have the patience to wait for his time to come. “(…) How long is he prepared to wait? I don’t know. It’s an incredible waste. I just want to say: “thank you Didier (Deschamps) for what you did” and I want to see how things will go with Zizou.” Dugarry concluded.
