Updated 28 May 2025 at 20:05 IST
France have remained one of the most potent threats in world football. Didier Deschamps' side has been on top of their game and demonstrated their power by lifting the 2018 FIFA World Cup title.
Deschamps has been in charge since 2012, but the veteran manager has already announced that he will be stepping down from his role, leaving a large vacancy to fill. Deschamps still can lead France to their second FIFA World Cup title next year, which will add to his already coveted medal tally. He guided Les Bleus to the Nations League title in 2020-21 and also finished runners-up in the 2016 European Championship, followed by the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to a superior Argentina in the final.
Zinedine Zidane has been linked with a number of jobs, but the former Real Madrid boss turned down all the opportunities as he reportedly has set his eyes on the France managerial role. In an interaction with Marca, the 52-year-old reiterated the fact that managing France would be a dream for him. Zidane has been strongly touted as the replacement for Deschamps.
"There's a coach in charge [of France, there's a team, and you have to respect everything, and that's what we do. I've always respected football and the people, so it's not the right time. But when the time comes, it will be a great pleasure if the opportunity arises. I've put my career on hold for a while, but I fully feel like a coach.
Zidane added: "It's a dream, I'm looking forward to it."
Zidane's managerial credentials have never been in doubt. He had two separate spells with Real Madrid and guided Los Blancos to a hat-trick of Champions League titles in his latter spell. Madrid emerged as one of the fiercest sides in the Champions League under the leadership of Sergio Ramos. Under Zidane's tutelage, Madrid's dominance was quite evident as they won a plethora of trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Spanish Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cup titles.
Published 28 May 2025 at 19:19 IST