Career news reported
The French Football Federation appointed Zinedine Zidane to replace Didier Deschamps on a four-year contract, Al Jazeera reported on July 28, 2026. Zidane, a 1998 World Cup winner under Deschamps' captaincy, said the France job was "the only thing I wanted to do" and is set to begin with UEFA Nations League fixtures in the autumn. The handover follows France's fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup.
source: Al Jazeera
Career news reported
Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France head coach ended on July 18, 2026 with a wild 6-4 defeat to England in the World Cup third-place playoff in Miami, as NBC reported it was the highest-scoring World Cup match since 1982. Kylian Mbappe scored twice to become the tournament's all-time leading scorer, but England's Bukayo Saka hat-trick sealed the bronze medal. Deschamps embraced his players and waved to the crowd as he left the pitch for the final time.
source: NBC News
Madame Figaro reports that Claude Deschamps attends the World Cup match where France play Paraguay, with family members present in the stands as Didier Deschamps leads the team.
source: Le Figaro
Madame Figaro says Claude Deschamps is consistently seated in the same place during France matches, described as a preference tied to Didier Deschamps’ routines during games.
source: Le Figaro