Zinedine Zidane Reveals Desire to Coach France National Team Someday

French football legend Zinedine Zidane has expressed his desire to one day manage the France national team, though he stopped short of confirming whether he plans to succeed current coach Didier Deschamps.

Speaking at an event organised by Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday, the 53-year-old said he was certain of returning to coaching in the future.

“I’m sure I’ll get back into coaching,” Zidane said. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen now, but what I want one day is to coach the national team.”

Zidane, who famously scored twice in France’s 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, previously managed Real Madrid, where he won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles — an unprecedented feat in modern football.

The former midfielder, regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, has not managed any club since his second spell at Real Madrid ended in 2021.

With Didier Deschamps expected to step down after next year’s 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Zidane remains the leading candidate to take over the national team.

Reflecting on what makes a great coach, Zidane said passion and energy were vital ingredients for success.

“The most important thing is to have a passion for football and to want to pass on something to your players — what you have in you, deep within you,” he explained.
“A coach has an important role in the success of his team. In my opinion, his energy and desire account for 80 percent of whether things go well.”

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