Zinedine Zidane's next job revealed by Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe

Tom Weber

Updated: 10 Sept 2025 16:05 BST
4 min read

Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe have both hinted that Zinedine Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps as the boss of the French national team.

Les Bleus will be in for a massive change next year when Deschamps leaves his role as head coach after the 2026 World Cup in North America. The former midfielder has been in charge of his nation since 2012, overseeing a huge transformation in the process.

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When Deschamps took over, he had to revive a scandal-ridden team that was still reeling from a veritable implosion at the 2010 World Cup and a quarter-finals exit at Euro 2012.

In 2018, Deschamps became only the third man in history to win the World Cup as both a player and manager as France beat Croatia. The triumph in Russia came off the back of a final appearance at Euro 2016 and was followed up by another march to the final at the 2022 World Cup.

Deschamps will not be extending his contract with Les Bleus and will end his 14-year reign next year, which has naturally given rise to plenty of speculation about who will succeed the 56-year-old.

Zidane will get France job - if he wants it

The man most prominently associated with the France job is Zinedine Zidane, and many believe that he is a shoo-in for the role. The 53-year-old has been out of a job since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.

Zidane has a clear idea of the sides he wants to coach, and it is understood that the French national team is one he would be keen to lead. Although he has enjoyed his time away from football, he has made no secret of his desire to return to management eventually.

When quizzed about who will succeed Deschamps, France legend Thierry Henry suggested that it has already been decided who will get the job. “We all know who will be the new coach," Henry said on Tuesday, referencing Zidane. "You know it, and I know it. And I wish him the best.”

Similarly, Les Bleus captain Kylian Mbappe has noted that the only person who could stop Zidane from taking the France job is, well, Zidane. “It’s Zidane. Only he can say no,” he told L'Equipe.

“Zidane is a story that only happens once," Mbappe added. "He is the only one in the history of football who can do anything. You can just admire his grandeur. No one will be able to repeat it, have that image: a special era, a special image, a special player."

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