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Spain advanced to the 2026 World Cup finals after defeating France 2-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday, ending the French’s bid for another title and setting up the final game of manager Didier Deschamps’ tenure.
Prior to the start of the World Cup, Deschamps announced his plans to step down as France manager afterwards. France now advance to third place on Saturday against either England or Argentina, which will serve as Deschamps’ final game in charge of the French national team.
Deschamps took over the French national team in 2012 and led the country through its most consistent era of modern success.
Under his leadership, France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2021 UEFA Nations League, while also reaching the finals of Euro 2016 and World Cup 2022. During Deschamps’ career, he has 20 wins at the World Cup and 10 at the knockout stage, both the most of any manager in the tournament’s history.
His departure after the upcoming third-place game ends a 14-year reign as head coach.
Zinedine Zidane earned 108 caps for France and won the World Cup in 1998, scoring a brace in the final. (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
According to ESPN, Zinedine Zidane will succeed Deschamps as France national team manager this summer. A verbal agreement has already been reached between the former Real Madrid manager and the French Football Federation (FFF).
The final details of the contract have not yet been finalized.
That succession follows comments from FFF president Philippe Diallo, who told French newspaper Le Figaro that he already knew who Deschamps’ successor would be, although at the time he declined to name Zidane publicly.
Zidane previously coached Real Madrid Castilla from 2014-2016, before coaching the first team from 2016-2018 and again from 2019-2021.
