The current Les Bleus boss believes the country’s former star attacker will eventually manage the national team
France head coach Didier Deschamps believes Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane will lead the 2018 World Cup winners sooner or later.
Zidane is in his second spell in charge of Madrid, having returned in March after stepping down in May 2018 following three consecutive Champions League triumphs and a La Liga title among other trophies.
The Frenchman and former Les Bleus captain, who won the 1998 World Cup, has long been touted as Deschamps’ replacement.
While Deschamps will stay on as coach for France’s World Cup defence in 2022 following success at Russia 2018, the 51-year-old backed Zidane to eventually take over.
“The next coach could be Zizou,” Deschamps, who has been in charge of France since 2012, told Le Monde.
“At one point or another, it’ll be him.”
Deschamps extended his contract through to 2022 after France overcame Croatia in the World Cup final last year.
“When you’re a coach there’s no age limit,” he added. “It’s the results that make you last.”
The former Monaco, Juventus and Marseille boss also led France to the Euro 2016 decider – Les Bleus beaten by Portugal on home soil.
Deschamps will oversee the nation’s Euro 2020 campaign, with France drawn in Group F alongside holders Portugal, Germany and a play-off winner.
The Les Bleus boss conceding the reigning World Cup winners face a massive challenge in what’s quickly been dubbed ‘The Group of Death’.
“It’s the most difficult group, but I think Joachim Low and Fernando Santos think the same thing,” Deschamps said earlier this month.
“Germany will have the advantage of playing their three matches in Munich. On paper, but not only on paper, we’re expecting it to be difficult. I’m sure our opponents think the same thing.
“We all have the same objective and that’s to qualify and, if possible, finish top of the group. Only one nation can do that. We need to see whether three will come through the group.
“We mustn’t forget that potentially the best country possible could come through the play-offs as well to drop into our group.”
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