France is reportedly moving to appoint Zinedine Zidane as the new head coach of the national team, replacing Didier Deschamps. The change comes after France's semi-final defeat in the World Cup, a loss described as "the wreck in Dallas."
Zidane, who has not attended France's World Cup matches in the US, is expected to seek an overhaul of the coaching staff, potentially bringing in former teammate Fabien Barthez. Deschamps is set to step down after 14 years at the helm following the tournament.
Deschamps acknowledged his team's performance against Spain, stating they were "a step below, technically" and that the defeat was "primarily our fault." He also questioned the referee's suitability for a World Cup semi-final, citing several unfavorable situations. However, the report notes that few in France are disputing the penalty awarded to Spain for an incident involving Lucas Digne and Lamine Yamal.
Zidane, 54, has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. He will be tasked with instilling a greater level of competitive intensity than was evident in the semi-final, where players like Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele were described as "anonymous" and "not good physically" by L'Equipe columnist Vincent Duluc. While Deschamps led France to three consecutive World Cup semi-finals, including a victory in 2018, the team struggled to find a game-changer beyond Kylian Mbappe in their recent match.
Zidane is believed to have a strong relationship with Mbappe, and also shares a friendship with the French team's head of security, Mohamed Sanhadji. Reports suggest Zidane views Olise as a potential No. 10 operating behind Mbappe. Zidane and Barthez played together on the 1998 World Cup-winning squad and remain close.
Deschamps' team reached the semi-finals, but the report indicates a lack of ambition compared to previous tournaments. The semi-final loss to Spain in the USA followed a similar defeat in Euro 2024, drawing criticism at home. Describing the team's performance, Deschamps conceded, "We made a few technical errors and missed passes that could have led to situations and chances. We have to accept it, even if it hurts."