Will Zinedine Zidane take Didier Deschamps' place after FIFA World Cup 2026?

The French soccer federation (FFF) told Reuters on Tuesday that Didier Deschamps, the coach of France's national team for the longest time, will not look to extend his contract, which expires in 2026. Deschamps' contract expires after the next World Cup, for which Les Bleus has not yet qualified. 

The 56-year-old succeeded the fellow 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc in 2012 and guided Les Bleus to the World Cup title in 2018, two years after the team made it to the European Championship final at home. The former France captain led the national team to the 2022 World Cup final, where they lost to Argentina on penalties following one of the greatest games in the tournament's history.

He is one of just three individuals to have won football's most coveted award both as a player and as a coach. The French sports publication L'Equipe said earlier on Tuesday that Deschamps would make his declaration on Wednesday. After the World Cup, Philippe Diallo, president of the FFF, told Reuters that Didier Deschamps would not seek to stay longer, “He will go until the end of his contract, i.e. 2026.”

 Zinedine Zidane likely to be successor to Didier Deschamps

Before taking over as France's coach, Deschamps had won titles with every team he had led. He also won the 2021 Nations League with Les Bleus. He won the World Cup in 1998 and the Euro 2000 as captain. Deschamps, a defensive midfielder known as "the water carrier" by Eric Cantona, was a winning machine. As coach, he led France to victories against Croatia 4-2 in the final and Argentina 4-3 in the 2018 World Cup round of 16, at times being spectacular and at other times boringly efficient.

Even if Kylian Mbappe's quick attacking ability has been a highlight for Deschamps' team, his sides have also proven to be resilient and possess unrivaled defensive skills when it counts most. While it is unclear who will take his place, Zinedine Zidane is the clear favorite. A football legend and former France international, Zidane has long been considered the logical successor to Deschamps. Despite having three consecutive UEFA Champions League championships and two La Ligas under his coaching belt, Zidane has not held a management position since departing Real Madrid in 2021.