Marcel Desailly believes that the expected arrival of Zinedine Zidane as head coach of France will trigger major changes in the national team’s hierarchy and playing structure. The former France defender said Zidane, who has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, would likely seek to impose his own footballing identity and move away from the system established by Didier Deschamps.
Speaking in an interview with Flashscore, Desailly said Zidane delivered excellent results at Real Madrid, but did so without fully expressing a personal philosophy from the outset. He argued that, unlike at club level, the France job would give Zidane more freedom to shape the squad and redefine the team’s style. In Desailly’s view, Zidane will want to make clear that his approach is different from Deschamps’ and will not hesitate to make significant selection changes.
Desailly went as far as predicting that four or five players who are currently considered undisputed starters under Deschamps could lose their places once Zidane takes over. He suggested that the anticipated coaching change would not be a simple continuation of the current project, but rather a real tactical and cultural shift inside the squad. Although no official announcement has been made, Desailly said there is a strong likelihood that Zidane is the man who will succeed Deschamps on the France bench.
The former defender also highlighted Zidane’s long-standing reluctance to return to club management, saying several major teams, including Chelsea and Manchester United, had shown interest in appointing him during difficult periods. According to Desailly, this shows that Zidane values space, control and a certain balance of life, all of which he believes the national team role could provide. He argued that the France job would allow Zidane to step back into the elite coaching environment without the constant demands of day-to-day club football.
Desailly also turned his attention to Didier Deschamps, with whom he shares a long history dating back to their early careers and years together at Nantes, Marseille and with France. He predicted that Deschamps’ next role would likely be another national team job rather than a club position. Desailly said he cannot imagine Deschamps handling the daily pressures of club management at this stage of his career, but expects him to continue coaching at international level if he leaves the France post.
Overall, Desailly’s comments point to an imminent turning point for French football. If Zidane does succeed Deschamps, the transition could bring not only a new coach, but a new philosophy, a reshaped lineup and a different leadership style for Les Bleus.
