France football icon Zinedine Zidane is expected to become the next head coach of the French national team following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Romano revealed that the French Football Federation plans to finalize all necessary paperwork with the former Real Madrid manager once France’s World Cup campaign officially comes to an end.
He also disclosed that Zidane has rejected every coaching offer over the past eight months because his sole ambition was to take charge of the French national team.
The anticipated appointment comes as current coach Didier Deschamps prepares to leave his position after France’s participation at the tournament.
France’s hopes of reaching another FIFA World Cup final were dashed on Tuesday after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
Speaking after the match, Deschamps admitted his team fell short of the level required to overcome the reigning European champions.
“We knew Spain defended very well and gave us very little space. Our technical performance wasn’t at the level it had been in previous games, and without matching them both technically and defensively, we couldn’t win,” he said.
The veteran manager accepted responsibility for the defeat, while noting that the magnitude of the occasion may have affected some members of his squad.
He explained that several players were appearing in their first World Cup semi-final and acknowledged that France failed to control the game as planned. Deschamps added that although the team’s overall tournament performance should not be overlooked, they needed to pose a greater threat to Spain and perform at their best both physically and technically.
Deschamps also questioned the officiating of Salvadoran referee Iván Barton, particularly the penalty awarded to Spain after Lucas Digne’s challenge on Lamine Yamal.
“The fourth and fifth officials did well, but do you think the main referee was at the required standard?” he asked, without elaborating further on other decisions.
Reflecting on his tenure, Deschamps expressed pride in France’s achievements under his leadership, including winning the FIFA World Cup, but admitted the semi-final exit was a disappointing way to end the campaign.
He said he remained proud of everything the team had accomplished over the years but was far from satisfied with the outcome against Spain.
France will now shift attention to the third-place play-off before Deschamps officially concludes his successful spell as head coach. He added that while the upcoming match would not erase the team’s accomplishments, Spain proved to be the better side in the semi-final.