PARIS, March 24 — Zinedine Zidane is set to become France’s new national coach after June and July’s World Cup, according to media reports, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

French football federation president Philippe Diallo fuelled the speculation in an interview with Le Figaro today when asked about the successor to successful coach Didier Deschamps.

“Yes, I know his name,” Diallo said. In France, it is seen as an open secret that it will be 1998 World Cup winner and former Real Madrid coach Zidane.

Deschamps’ departure has been clear since early 2025. The former midfielder took over the job in 2012 and led Les Bleus to the World Cup title in 2018 and to World Cup final defeat four years later.

Deschamps was also European Championship runner-up on home soil in 2016 and won the Nations League in 2021.

Diallo added: “The French national team is among the best in the world and not everyone can coach it. We need someone who meets many criteria and can win the support of the French population because this French national football team belongs to the French people.”

Zidane, 53, appears to meet those criteria best. As Real Madrid coach, he won the Champions League three times between 2016 and 2018.

After stepping down, he returned to the club in 2019 and led it to the league title again in 2020. Zidane has not taken on a coaching job since 2021.

The French sports newspaper L’Equipe reported that Zidane has been working for some time on putting together his coaching staff.

The three-time World Player of the Year has repeatedly expressed interest in the most important coaching job in France.

“I feel at home in the French national team, where I spent almost 12, 13 or 14 years as a player. Of course it’s a dream,” he recently said. — Bernama-dpa