The French team is in the United States to compete in the 2026 World Cup. Until now, everything was going in the best of all possible worlds after the victories against Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0), before the announcement of the death of Didier Deschamps’ mother. Sad news which affected the French group. Behind the scenes, life goes on and President Philippe Diallo must undoubtedly have an ear on what he is preparing for the succession of DD. Unsurprisingly, Zinedine Zidane is the big favorite to replace the 1998 and 2018 world champion.
There is almost no room for doubt since the former midfielder was very active behind the scenes last week, while he was also in the United States to watch his son Luca’s match against Argentina. Zidane is already developing the outlines of his future staff with a very specific idea: turning the page on Deschamps. Clearly, the strong men of the current coach will probably not be renewed. Starting with the goalkeeper coach, Franck Raviot.
A 98 world champion returning to Clairefontaine?
And to replace a man who has been in office for sixteen years (with the Blues and the Espoirs), The Team reveals that Zidane is thinking of a 98 world champion like him. This is Fabien Barthez. A former goalkeeper who needs no introduction. Revealed in the jersey of Olympique de Marseille, the man now aged 54 won the Champions League with the Marseille club in 1993, before joining AS Monaco, then Manchester United. Star goalkeeper for the Blues, Barthez won the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000 and was a finalist at the 2006 World Cup.
Very close to Zidane, the native of Lavelanet spoke with his former teammate at the Blues in recent weeks about this proposal. Courted by Laurent Blanc almost 15 years ago, Barthez would this time be interested in the idea of joining the French staff. On the FFF side, the Deschamps succession file is being managed with the greatest discretion, but the federation is confident about the arrival of Barthez. To be continued.
