Zinedine Zidane, the legendary French midfielder and former Real Madrid coach, has definitively ruled out taking over the French national team before the 2026 World Cup, according to multiple reports verified as of July 12, 2026. The 54-year-old has been linked to the position since Didier Deschamps' contract extension was announced in early 2025, but Zidane's camp has consistently denied any imminent move.
In a statement to French media on July 10, 2026, Zidane's agent confirmed that the coach remains focused on personal projects and has no plans to return to management until at least after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. 'Zizou is not in talks with any federation at this time,' the agent said.
This development ends speculation that Zidane might replace Deschamps, who led France to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 final. Deschamps' current contract runs through the 2026 World Cup, and the French Football Federation has publicly backed him despite recent mixed results in Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Zidane, who won three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid, has been out of coaching since leaving the Spanish club in 2021. He has repeatedly stated he would only consider a national team role if the timing and conditions were right, but sources close to him indicate that 2026 remains too early for such a commitment.
