National Teams Like Women of Their Lives. World Cup Sparked Revolutions on Coaching Benches

The global football landscape is undergoing a significant reshuffling of national team coaches following the recent World Cup, with a notable wave of changes sweeping across Africa and Europe. In Africa, seven out of ten participating nations have parted ways with their managers, while at least eight of Europe's sixteen qualified teams are set to usher in new leadership. Tunisia proved to be the most impatient, dismissing Sabri Lamouchi after their opening match loss.

This period of transition has seen a mix of dismissals due to underperformance and voluntary resignations. Herve Renard, after a stint with Tunisia, is set to lead Ivory Coast again, a team he guided to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2015. Similarly, Slaven Bilic has returned to manage Croatia, a team he previously led to the Euro 2008 quarterfinals. However, the bar has been set exceptionally high by Zlatko Dalić, who secured silver and bronze medals for Croatia in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.

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I rejected all offers to coach France. It was the only thing I wanted. I've dreamed of it since childhood.

Beyond established coaches, there's a trend of national teams placing their faith in former star players. Mexico will be managed by its long-serving captain, Rafael Marquez, while Diego Forlan takes the helm for Uruguay. Yet, the most significant buzz surrounds Zinedine Zidane, a former World Cup winner and one of football's all-time greats. Despite limited prior coaching experience, Zidane achieved remarkable success with Real Madrid, winning three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, and accumulating 11 trophies in two stints.

Zidane, who has been unattached for five years, revealed his singular focus: "I rejected all offers to coach France. It was the only thing I wanted. I've dreamed of it since childhood." With Didier Deschamps stepping down after 14 successful years, including the 2018 World Cup triumph and a runner-up finish in 2022, Zidane has signed a four-year contract through the 2030 World Cup. He aims to build on the team's existing success, stating, "I don't intend to make a revolution. I want to maintain continuity so that the national team continues to win."

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I don't intend to make a revolution. I want to maintain continuity so that the national team continues to win.