Didier Deschamps has once again addressed the possibility of Zinedine Zidane succeeding him as head coach of the French national team.

In an interview with L’Équipe, Le Parisien, and Le Figaro, Deschamps reaffirmed his plan to step down after the 2026 World Cup and acknowledged Zidane as a natural candidate for the job. “There is a lot of respect between us. We last saw each other in the summer of 2023, and we should meet again next summer. Zizou is a very good, natural, and expected candidate. But it will ultimately be his decision,” Deschamps stated, leaving the door open for his former teammate to take the reins of Les Bleus.

The idea of Zidane leading the French national team has been widely supported, including by French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo. “He is one of the monuments of French and world football, and he helped secure our first World Cup title. I have immense respect for him,” Diallo recently said.

Zidane himself has never hidden his ambition, previously declaring in 2022, “I want to coach the French team. I hope it will happen one day, but it’s not up to me.” With Deschamps set to leave in 2026, the stage may finally be set for Zidane to fulfill his long-awaited dream.