After fourteen years at the head of the French team, Didier Deschamps decided to leave his post at the end of the 2026 World Cup. To replace him, the French Football Federation has, unsurprisingly, chosen to bet on Zinedine Zidane, who had been waiting for the opportunity to sit on the Blues bench for five years and his departure from Real Madrid.
In an interview with RMC, Philippe Diallo went behind the scenes of his first interview with “Zizou”. “I met Zinedine Zidane in February 2025, just after the announcement of Didier Deschamps’ departure. It was a somewhat secret meeting, I didn’t want to disturb the team in place. We met confidentially, in Paris. I first wanted to confirm his immense desire to take charge of the French team”confided the boss of the FFF.
“Immediately, I felt his desire, his passion. He spent five years turning down offers. He is a man who had amazing offers and who refused them all to be at the head of the Blues. added Diallo, before revealing a sentence that struck him: “He told me, ‘President, I know how to win.’ We want France to win titles. »
“It was his dream to coach the Blues”
“He has proven himself as a coach, he has been waiting for this position for five years, he continued.
It was his dream to coach the Blues. He has confidence, charisma. He knows the high level and he knows that he is capable of helping his country win. I am proud to give this icon the opportunity to continue his story with the Blues. »
The new coach will begin his mandate during the month of September, with four Nations League matches scheduled in the space of eleven days. The Blues will begin with a trip to Turkey (September 25) then to Belgium (September 28), before hosting Italy (October 2) and the Red Devils (October 5) at the Stade de France.
