“We’ll see in July”. The president of the FFF Philippe Diallo gave an interview to The Team and obviously did not confirm the probable future appointment of Zinédine Zidane after the 2026 World Cup, which will be Didier Deschamps’ very last competition as French coach.
“It’s not fake suspense at all. It’s simply a respect for the team in place, Didier and his staff have been there for fourteen years now. I do not want to introduce elements that could disrupt the preparation of the French team”specifies the leader of the 3F.
Philippe Diallo, however, drops a little bombshell: the identity of the successor to “La Dèche” could be revealed as early as next spring, a few months before the World Cup 26 for Kylian Mbappé’s Blues. Noël Le Graët’s former collaborator evokes two “windows” possible, either in the wake of the North American World Cup, “i.e. a window a little more anticipated and sufficiently far from the final phase of the World Cup” and more precisely to “the end of the first quarter of 2026, around March-April”. An important clarification from Diallo while The Parisian recently explained that Zidane’s appointment will wait until summer 2026.
Zidane can’t take it anymore
After his departure from Real Madrid in 2021, “Zizou” is discreetly waiting for his turn to lead the French selection, with whom he obviously won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 alongside captain Didier Deschamps. The 98 Ballon d’Or turned down PSG twice, as well as numerous other requests, while his former teammate DD finally extended his lease ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 53-year-old native of Marseille only spoke out last May about his ambition to resume his coaching career with the Blues. “I feel legitimate in the French team, where I played and spent almost 12, 13 or 14 years as a player. Of course it’s a dream, I can’t wait”he said during an event organized by his sponsor adidas.
