France to name Deschamps' successor next week

The French Football Federation (FFF) is set to unveil the successor to long-serving national team coach Didier Deschamps next Tuesday, July 28. The announcement will follow an extraordinary meeting of the FFF's Executive Committee that morning.

While the federation has not officially confirmed the identity of the new coach, leading French sports publications have widely reported that Zinedine Zidane is the frontrunner for the position. The appointment would mark the end of an era for Deschamps, who steps down after 14 years at the helm.

Deschamps, 57, led France through a historic period, including a World Cup victory in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022. His tenure saw the team participate in seven major international competitions, a record for a French national coach, with 185 matches managed, resulting in 120 wins, 35 draws, and 30 losses.

Under Deschamps, France achieved remarkable success, including winning the World Cup as both a player and a coach, a feat shared by few. His coaching record includes a strong performance in World Cups, with 19 wins in 26 matches. The upcoming announcement is expected to signal a new chapter for French football, with Zidane, a World Cup-winning player himself, poised to take over.