How the Zidane revelation affects France's odds

Zinedine Zidane has waited years for this moment. Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, he has rejected multiple high-profile offers for the France job.

All odds are courtesy of US Sportsbooks, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.

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The succession France have been waiting for

Didier Deschamps announced his departure in January 2025. Since 2012, he has led France to two World Cup finals, one title, and a Nations League title. The most successful managerial era in French football history will come to an end after the 2026 World Cup. The question was never if Zinedine Zidane would replace him. It was when.

Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, finally broke his silence recently. “Yes, I know his name,” he told Le Figaro. The FFF had received fewer than five applications, all French. Diallo did not mention Zidane’s name. He did not need to.

Reportedly, a verbal agreement is already in place between the French icon and the federation. The finer details are currently being ironed out. An official press release is expected only after the World Cup in the summer.

Zidane’s credentials are undeniable. As a player, he won the 1998 Ballon d’Or – the same year he led France to its maiden World Cup title. He was named World Player of the Year three times. As a manager, he led Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League accolades. It is a feat no other coach has achieved in the history of Europe’s premier club tournament.

He managed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric. Zidane handled egos and delivered trophies regularly across two spells at Los Blancos. Now he takes charge of a squad stocked with generational talent. From Desire Doue and Michael Olise to Kylian Mbappe and William Saliba, the transition will be seamless. Many in the French squad already know how Zizou works.

Deschamps will leave a well-drilled machine behind him. Yet, Zidane’s shadow already looms large. Deschamps, unfazed by speculation throughout his 14-year tenure, now prepares for his final tournament. The inevitable question hovers over every press conference.

Diallo’s comments have shifted the narrative before a ball has been kicked in the United States, where France play their next two friendlies. The spotlight has already started to turn. 

France’s golden generation continues to deliver

France’s first match of the calendar year is against five-time record champions Brazil in Boston. Deschamps is expected to experiment, but his side are the more settled of the two.

Brazil finished fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying, scraping through on goal difference after a difficult transitional phase under Carlo Ancelotti. Their last four friendlies yielded two wins, a draw and a loss. They are still a work in progress, unlike France.

Ancelotti has left Neymar out of the squad, and Rodrygo is injured. There are six uncapped players in the list, suggesting his intention to experiment. This includes Brentford’s Igor Thiago and Bournemouth’s Rayan. Deschamps, by contrast, has named a squad built on continuity and experience.

Kylian Mbappe returns after a lengthy knee injury, having featured off the bench in Real Madrid’s 3-2 derby win over Atletico Madrid. France have won four of their last seven meetings with Brazil dating back to the 1998 World Cup final. The value lies with the more cohesive team, rather than the one still searching for it.

Three days after facing Brazil, they take on Colombia in another friendly. Deschamps’ side have consistently shown defensive resolve. France went unbeaten in six World Cup qualifiers, with three clean sheets in five victories. They have five clean sheets in their last ten competitive games, including against Germany and Croatia in the Nations League.

Colombia have been impressive in their own right. The side are undefeated in nine matches, with three clean sheets in their last four friendlies. They finished third in CONMEBOL qualifying, scoring the second-highest number of goals after world champions Argentina.

Still, France are a different proposition. Their offensive prowess forces opposition to sit deep, while their midfield control suffocates transitions. With Mbappe, Olise and Dembele leading the line, the burden is on Colombia to contain rather than attack. A clean sheet for France is a viable outcome.

Just weeks after facing Ivory Coast in their final friendly in early June, France begin their World Cup campaign against Senegal. Norway and a fourth team from the intercontinental playoff – either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname – complete Group I.

The path is navigable, and the squad have experience. Deschamps is motivated to finish on a high. However, the true weight behind the odds lies in a story that stretches back 28 years. Deschamps lifted the World Cup as a player in 1998. Zidane was beside him, scoring two goals in the final against Brazil.

Two decades later, Deschamps returned to do it again, this time from the touchline. He guided France to glory in Russia. The captain of ’98 will hand the reins of the national team to the talisman of ‘98. A passing of the torch written in French football folklore.

That 1998 generation changed everything. Almost three decades on, one era ends in the dugout. Another begins. The symbolism could not be stronger. The market is pricing more than a team. It is pricing history. As shown before, France have a habit of rewriting it.