"Goodbye Deschamps, Hello Zidane": France on the verge of changing its head coach for the first time in 14 years... Zidane likely to make his debut in September's Nations League match

*This content was translated by AI.

Following France's failure to reach the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there are growing calls for a change in leadership. Didier Deschamps (58), the current head coach, is expected to step down, with former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane (54), a legend of French football, poised to take over.

On the 15th (Korea time), France suffered a decisive 0-2 defeat against Spain in the tournament's semi-final match held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, USA. As a result, France's streak of three consecutive World Cup final appearances came to an end, while Spain advanced to the final for the first time in 16 years.

Immediately after France's championship hopes were dashed, Fabrizio Romano, a leading European transfer market expert, posted on his social media (SNS) that "Coach Deschamps will leave the team, and now Zidane's era is about to begin."

Deschamps' departure is not directly tied to this tournament's results. He had already announced early last year his intention to step down from the national team after concluding the 2026 World Cup cycle.

Appointed as France's head coach in 2012, Deschamps recorded 120 wins, 35 draws, and 29 losses across 183 matches over 14 years. He led the team to victory at the 2018 Russia World Cup and secured second place at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Notably, he became only the third person in history—alongside Mário Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer—to win the World Cup both as a player and as a coach.

Zidane, the likely successor, also boasts an illustrious career. While managing Real Madrid, he achieved the unprecedented feat of leading the club to three consecutive UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles. Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, he has been on hiatus for five years.

CBS Sports reported that "Zidane's official appointment will likely come immediately after the conclusion of the World Cup," and predicted his debut match would be in the upcoming UEFA Nations League starting in September. The outlet explained that the schedule, which includes two matches each against Turkey, Italy, and Belgium, offers a prime opportunity for the new coach to demonstrate his command over the team.

Meanwhile, France is scheduled to play the third-place playoff match on the 19th against the loser of the Argentina-England semi-final.

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*This content was translated by AI.