Overview
- Multiple outlets, including ESPN and Le Parisien, reported Monday that Zinedine Zidane has a verbal agreement with the French federation to become head coach after the 2026 World Cup.
- French FA president Philippe Diallo said he already knows the successor’s name and noted the search drew fewer than five applicants, all of them French.
- Finalizing the staff remains the last hurdle before a contract is signed, with reports pointing to longtime aide David Bettoni to head an expanded backroom team.
- Zidane has not managed since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, where he won three straight Champions League titles, and this would be his first senior national-team job.
- Coverage also highlights that a formal unveiling is expected after France’s tournament and that Zidane has long waited for this role, reportedly turning down rich club offers.