Some appointments feel inevitable.
International football, more than anything, rewards timing.
Knowing when to move on and who’s coming next.
And when that next figure is already deeply connected to the history of the team, the transition begins to feel natural.
Like it was always meant to happen.
For France, that moment now appears to be approaching.
A plan, finally taking shape.
Because while the current era is not yet over, attention has already started to shift toward what comes next.
Zidane lands role as next France manager
According to ESPN, Zinedine Zidane has reached a verbal agreement to become the next France national team manager, with the appointment set to take place after the 2026 World Cup.
The agreement, as reported, has already been made between Zidane and the French Football Federation.
Final details, such as his coaching staff, are still yet to be resolved before everything is signed.
Zidane has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid i n 2021, turning down multiple opportunities along the way.
Not because of a lack of options, as he was previously linked with Fenerbahce following Mourinho’s departure in 2025.
But because of patience.
Having led France to World Cup victory in 1998, Zidane will look to continue on from that legacy.
This time, as manager.
The France job has always been different.
As a player, Zidane defined an era.
A World Cup winner; a Ballon d’Or recipient; a figure synonymous with French football at its peak.
And as a manager, his record speaks just as loudly, three consecutive Champions League titles.
Which is why this move carries weight.
He will be stepping into a role currently held by Didier Deschamps, who has led the national team since 2012.
Deschamps himself won the World Cup alongside Zidane, captaining the French team to glory in 1998.
And he will most likely depart after the upcoming World Cup, bringing an end to one of the most successful managerial spells in international football.
Two World Cup finals, a Euros final, and a World Cup victory, in 2018.
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