What if there was a wolf? For months – not to say years – Zinedine Zidane, in the collective imagination, embodies the ideal national coach to succeed Didier Deschamps whose French reign lasted 14 years. At the end of the 2026 World Cup, it is certain that the latter will pass the torch. To whom? The French Football Federation is still taking a cautious approach on the subject.
“ It’s not fake suspense at all.assures Philippe Diallo, the boss of the FFF, in an interview with L’Equipe.
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. »
And while the name of Zinedine Zidane comes up insistently, the president of the FFF sticks to his positions and wants to be very cautious on the issue. “ Lots of things can happen that are not what people expect. Now, I said it, I have a lot of admiration and respect for Zinedine Zidane, both for what he brought to French football, what he also demonstrated as a coach, by winning trophies. But everything in its time. For now, we will prepare for the World Cup. »
A difficult contract to tie up?
“ Lots of things that are not what people expect… » Does this mean that a huge surprise could well come when it comes time to choose the lucky one? “ For now, I’ll stick to my words », insists a hardly reassuring Philippe Diallo. This while rounding the corners: “ There is no reason why there should not be harmony between Didier Deschamps and his successor. Didier announced his departure clearly and with a certain panache… »
The end of the suspense in any case could be anticipated. “
One option is the end of the first quarter of 2026, around March-April, to be far enough from the final phase. I don’t want there to be any disruption. » To do this, it will be necessary to have locked the contract of said successor. However, Le Parisien recently highlighted a possible obstacle in this area. Zinedine Zidane being associated with Adidas as part of a lifetime contract when the Blues’ equipment supplier – which is worth no less than 100 million euros per year – is none other than Nike. And it’s not just a detail…
