There are strong forces in French football who have been working in high gear for several years to keep Zinedine Zidane out of his job as national team manager for France. – In the aftermath of both the last World Cup four years ago and the following European Championships, they managed to keep Didier Deschamps in the job as national team manager in the hope that Zidane would disappear.

A short time ago, a law was passed that severely limited how much employees in the state could be paid. The law effectively ensured that Zinedine Zidane would only earn 1/10th of Didier Deschamps.

England (FA) contacted both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Pep Guardiola

NOW there has been a clarification that means that in very special cases, such as “fixed-term contracts” important for the country’s development and reputation, can be negotiated locally. France can’t “stand” many nights like yesterday with a 6 – 4 loss in the battle for 3rd place in the World Cup.

The tiny hope that some people in power in France had of an extension again for Didier Deschamps actually disappeared already when it became clear there would be no final.

The end of an era: Didier Deschamps retires in chaos – after 10-goal thriller against England

Finally! Zinedine Zidane will take up his dream job on 1 September

Now it has been confirmed: Zinedine Zidane will take over as French national team coach. The legendary midfielder takes over from Didier Deschamps – and will start as early as September with four Nations League games.

We never got an answer to who is the greatest – Haaland or Mbappé

And we also never got to test whether Norway can really measure up to one of the world’s very best football nations. In the World Cup group stage, France eventually won 4-1 over Norway’s so-called “B” team – a match where the Norwegian boys actually made an honest effort and kept up for a long time. Now we hope for new opportunities to meet “Les Bleus” again, this time with Erling Braut Haaland on the pitch from the start. Then it will be a completely different game – and on the sidelines stands one of France’s greatest football icons ever.

While we have been waiting for Zidane

It was in 2021 that Zinedine Zidane stepped down as coach of Real Madrid. At the time, the Frenchman told the world that he was going to take a long vacation. And the holiday lasted longer than anyone had imagined. It wasn’t until a year ago that Zizou began to reveal that his impatience was starting to set in – but he was still without a coaching job.

What has been clear over the past year, however, is that Zidane has only been waiting for one job. The dream job. It didn’t come after the World Cup in Qatar, because then Didier Deschamps changed his mind at the last minute and allowed himself to be persuaded to continue as French national team manager. But this championship will be the last for Deschamps. On Saturday, France will play the bronze final, and then they will mark 14 years with Deschamps at the helm of “Les Bleus”.

Zidane takes over – with four Nations League games right in the door

For a long time, everyone has pointed to Zinedine Zidane as the natural successor, and if we are to believe the reports in French newspapers, his appointment is just a mere formality.

The renowned sports newspaper L’Equipe reports that Zidane will officially take over as national team coach on September 1. The same goes for the rest of the coaching staff that the former midfield star will bring with him into the new role.

Four-year agreement and the dream that finally comes true

The 54-year-old Zidane is scheduled to sign a four-year contract with the French Football Federation. Already in the first international break after taking office, four tough Nations League games await – a steep start for a man who has not coached a team for several years.

For Zidane, this is as he himself has stated time and time again: the ultimate dream job. Exactly 20 years have passed since he played his last match in the French national team – a championship that ended with an abrupt exit, a red card and one of the most famous moments in football history: the header against Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.

Now he is returning. This time not as a player – but as the boss of the entire French national football team.