Former Real Madrid manager and French football legend, Zinedine Zidane, has expressed his desire to return to coaching, revealing that managing the France national team is part of his long-term ambitions.
Speaking at an event organised by Italian sports outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday, Zidane confirmed that while he has no immediate plans, he is certain he will return to the dugout in the future.
“I’m sure I’ll get back into coaching,” Zidane said. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen now, what I want one day is to coach the national team.”
Zidane, who famously scored twice in France’s 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, is widely regarded as one of the leading candidates to succeed Didier Deschamps when the current coach eventually steps down. Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup glory in 2018, is expected to remain in charge until after the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 53-year-old, whose last managerial role was with Real Madrid in 2021, also shared his views on the qualities of a successful coach.
“The most important thing is to have a passion for football and to want to pass on something to your players, what you have in you, deep within you,” he said.
“A coach has an important role in the success of his team. In my opinion, his energy and desire are 80 percent of whether things go well.”
Zidane’s previous spell at Real Madrid saw him win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, cementing his status not only as a football icon but also as one of the most successful coaches in recent history.
