Didier Deschamps, whose contract at the head of the France team ends after the next World Cup in 2026, noted that he would not go beyond this in his role. Here's who could replace him:
Zinedine Zidane
Because he has always dreamed of it and because he has won everything with Real Madrid, the former number 10 of the Blues is best placed to finally become its coach, in 2026. At 52, the icon is exclusively flourishing under the gilding of Real Madrid, where he was first the assistant to Carlo Ancelotti (2013-2014), before leading the reserve (2014-2016) and to write his legend in two sequences, from 2016 to 2018 then from 2019 to 2021. The story of Zidane in costume is above all that of a winner, of La Liga in 2017 and 2020, and of the Champions League with a historic treble (2016, 2017, 2018). Zidane has never made a secret of his supreme ambition: the Blues. He is obviously the favorite to take over from Deschamps.
Thierry Henry
After too mixed a start as a technician to be able to envisage such a destiny, Thierry Henry (47 years old) put himself back at the center of the game thanks to the Olympic silver medal. Free after having decided to stop on this great thrill, he is also a star who attracts all eyes, is close to the young generation who adore him, and he would not discover the blue house since he was coach of the Hopes for a year, before the adventure of the Games. However, his strengths pale in comparison to Zidane's extraordinary status…
Bruno Genesio
Casually, the more time passes, the more Bruno Genesio makes a name for himself in the French football landscape. After starting on the bench of Olympique Lyonnais (2015-2019), the 58-year-old technician confirmed his good intentions at Stade Rennais (2021-2023) after a juicy stint in the Chinese club Beijing Guoan (2019-2021 ). Under contract at LOSC since June 5, 2024, Genesio has had a very successful season with the Mastiffs despite a mixed start. Over time, he has managed to create great alchemy within the Lille collective and his rather offensive style of play necessarily makes him a potential candidate to succeed Deschamps. His candidacy would not shock anyone in any case even if he starts from further away than Zidane and Henry.
Franck Haise
Franck Haise starts even further than Genesio but the 53-year-old technician is part of the elite of active French coaches. Revealed at the RC Lens training center (2017-2020), after junior stints at Stade Lavallois, Stade Rennais or even FC Lorient, the current coach of OGC Nice has the feat of having brought the Sang et Or in the Champions League and was named second best coach of the year behind Christophe Galtier in 2021. Appointed to the Gym in June 2024, he displays real sporting and gaming ambitions but has been disillusioned for several months due to the gradual withdrawal of Ineos. The latest rumors point to a future on the bench at Stade Rennais, where Jorge Sampaoli would only be a short-term solution.
Exit a stranger!
Finally, it should be noted that the culture of the FFF does not push it to study foreign avenues, which therefore fully and exclusively opens the way to the appointment of a French coach for the post-Deschamps era in 2026.
