The coach of the French national team, Didier Deschamps, has decided to end his tenure leading “Les Bleus” after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
Deschamps announced that he does not intend to renew his contract with France after that date, explaining, “No one wants to end something good, but you have to know when to stop.”
Deschamps took charge of France in 2012 and successfully led the team to victory in the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2021 UEFA Nations League.
During his time with the French national team, Deschamps reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup, the final of Euro 2016, and the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The news of Deschamps’ departure will likely delight Zinedine Zidane, who appears to be the top candidate to replace him as the head coach of the French national team.
Zizou has stated multiple times that he dreams of coaching the French national team, and according to media reports, only working in his home country or with Real Madrid would tempt him to return to coaching.
France is preparing for the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals and the 2025 World Cup qualifiers.
The 56-year-old Deschamps is one of the most successful coaches in French history, having managed 166 matches, winning 106, losing 29, and drawing 31.
By 2026, when he completes 14 years as the coach of Les Bleus, he will have the second-longest tenure in the history of the French national team.
