The defeat against Spain not only left France out of the 2026 World Cup final. It also marked the closing of one of the most successful stages in the history of Les Bleus.
Didier Deschamps will coach this Saturday, July 18, against England for third place, his last game as national coach. After more than a decade in office, he will leave a legacy that includes the 2018 world title in Russia, the 2022 Qatar final and another semi-final in 2026.
His successor, barring an unexpected change, aims to be Zinedine Zidane.
The former French footballer and Deschamps’ teammate on the 1998 world champion team has appeared for months as the main candidate to take over the bench.
According to ESPN, both parties reached a verbal agreement this year. The French Football Federation has not officially confirmed the information.
Zidane was also present at the World Cup. He followed the tournament from the stands, where he went to watch his son, and also had the opportunity to see up close the team he could lead in the coming months.
His presence offered a symbolic image of the transition: while Deschamps was closing his time as head of France, the main candidate to succeed him was already observing the tournament from the stands.
Asked about the identity of the next coach, the president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, responded with a phrase that fueled speculation:
“Yes, I know his name.”
Diallo avoided revealing who will replace Deschamps.
A transition without reconstruction
Unlike other cycle changes, France does not face a deep reconstruction.
The base of the squad continues to be made up of young footballers who will fully reach the next big tournaments.
Kylian Mbappé, 27, will still be 31 when the 2030 World Cup takes place. Michael Olise, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Manu Koné and Eduardo Camavinga are also part of a generation with several years of international competition ahead of them.
They are joined by Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Bradley Barcola, who are just beginning to establish themselves in the elite.
More than replacing his main figures, the next coach will have to find the best version of a group that, despite its individual talent, failed to meet expectations in this World Cup.
The elimination against Spain left more doubts about the collective functioning than about the quality of the squad.
Zidane’s great challenge
If he takes office, Zidane will arrive with a prestige built as coach of Real Madrid.
At the Spanish club he won two LaLiga titles and three consecutive Champions Leagues, one of the most successful stages in the recent history of European football.
Now he would face a different challenge.
It will not be about building a team from scratch, but rather transforming France’s potential into a team capable of once again dominating international football.
Deschamps has already incorporated several of the players called to support the next cycle and kept Mbappé as the main offensive reference.
Zidane’s challenge will be to achieve balance, define a collective identity and take advantage of a squad that combines World Cup experience with players who have not yet reached their best sporting stage.
You will also need to manage the expectations that will accompany your arrival.
Zidane would not only be Deschamps’ successor. He would also become one of the most important figures in the history of French football, world champion as a player in 1998 and protagonist of the 2006 Germany final.
His past will increase the excitement, but also the demand.
Our sights are set on 2028 and 2030
After the third place match against England, France will officially begin a new cycle.
The team’s following commitments will mark the beginning of preparation for its two major objectives: Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.
The base of the squad allows us to think about an immediate transition, without the need to wait several years to compete again for the main titles.
Mbappé will continue as a reference. Around him, the next coach will have a young generation, with experience in the major European leagues and room to continue growing.
If Zidane’s arrival is confirmed, France will change coaches, but will retain the structure of a team designed to compete from day one.
More than a reconstruction, Les Bleus They will face a replacement on the bench with the aim of turning their enormous talent into a new champion generation.