France isn't rebuilding. It's upgrading. Zinedine Zidane is reportedly set to become the next France head coach, taking over from Didier Deschamps after Saturday's third-place playoff against England — the last match of a 14-year era that delivered a World Cup, a final, and three straight semifinal appearances.
The verbal agreement between Zidane and the French Football Federation has apparently been in place for months. The formal process still needs to be completed, but the direction is clear.
From one legend to another
Deschamps leaves on his own terms, with an argument for being the most decorated national team coach of his generation. The 2018 title. The 2022 final. Another semi in 2026. That's a genuinely difficult résumé to criticise — but France's 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinal did exactly what losses like that always do: opened a door for change.
Zidane is the obvious successor, and not just symbolically. His managerial record at Real Madrid — two La Liga titles, three consecutive Champions League trophies across two spells — shows he knows how to handle elite talent and tournament pressure. He won with the most expensive squad in football without letting egos swallow the dressing room. That's a skill. France is going to need it.
Because the squad Zidane inherits is loaded. Mbappé leads it, but Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué give France an attacking depth that most international setups can only envy. The talent isn't the problem. The pattern under Deschamps — occasionally playing more conservatively than those names warranted — was the recurring criticism, and it showed against Spain.
What actually changes under Zidane
Zidane built his Madrid teams around trusting match-winners in big moments and adjusting tactically to the demands of each game rather than rigidly defending a system. If that philosophy carries into the France role, the attacking players should have more room to operate. Whether that makes France more consistent in knockout football — the one thing Deschamps never quite cracked — is the real question.
His first matches will come in the UEFA Nations League later this year. France's odds in any major tournament market are going to factor in this transition, and the early Nations League games will give bettors and analysts their first real read on what Zidane's France actually looks like in practice, not just on paper.
The expectations aren't modest. France has reached three consecutive World Cup semifinals and considers anything short of a trophy a failure. Zidane walked into Real Madrid with similar pressure and won everything. Now he gets to find out if that translates to international football.
Deschamps closes a remarkable chapter. Zidane opens one where France expects him to finish the job Deschamps came closest to completing in 2018.
