Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Zinedine Zidane will take over as coach of the French national team once Les Bleus finish their participation in the 2026 World Cup.
Didier Deschamps announced his departure from the French national team after 14 years in charge, during which he led his country to victory in the 2018 World Cup and a runner-up finish in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
In recent days, Spanish newspapers have indicated that Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, dreams of bringing Zidane back to coach the club for a third stint next season, replacing Álvaro Arbeloa.
However, according to Romano, Real Madrid has no chance of re-signing Zidane, as the coach already has a verbal agreement with the French Football Federation and has no intention of breaking it.
Since the beginning of his coaching career, Zidane has dreamed of managing the French national team, which is why he has remained without a club for the past three years, waiting for the right opportunity. It seems that this opportunity has arrived, and he will not let it slip away, no matter what.
Zidane has already begun preparing for his tenure with the French national team and selecting his coaching staff. His appointment as Les Bleus’ manager is expected to be announced before the 2026 World Cup, in agreement with Deschamps.
Thus, the list of candidates to coach Real Madrid has narrowed once again, with Jürgen Klopp and now Zidane out of the picture. The only remaining options are Enzo Maresca, the former Chelsea manager, and Unai Emery, the current Aston Villa manager.
