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Zinedine Zidane will replace Didier Deschamps as the manager of France after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as per Libertad Digital.
The Frenchman left Real Madrid for a second time last year, doing so in May 2021 after a trophyless season at the club. Since then, he has been out of a job despite being linked to numerous clubs.
Recently, Zidane's former Juventus and France teammate Thierry Henry opined that the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner would perhaps wait for a vacancy in the French national team. It looks like he has already reached an agreement to replace Deschamps in the coming months.
Deschamps became France's manager a little over eight years ago when Laurent Blanc resigned from the post after the UEFA Euro 2012. The French side were eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 2-0 to eventual tournament winners Spain.
Since then, Deschamps has led Les Bleus to a second-place finish in the UEFA Euro 2016 and the FIFA World Cup title in 2018. France also lifted the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League title under Deschamps. Zidane could now be the man to replace one of France's most decorated coaches in recent decades.
The former Real Madrid midfielder has an impressive C.V., winning three UEFA Champions League titles as Los Blancos' manager. He also won the FIFA World Cup (1998) and the UEFA Euro (2000) as a player for France.
His last game at international level came in the final of the FIFA World Cup in 2006, where he was shown a red-card for headbutting Marco Materazzi. Italy went on to win the final on penalties.
Lionel Messi picks France and Brazil as favorites for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi's Argentina go into the World Cup in Qatar as one of the favorites to win the tournament.
However, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) playmaker was modest enough to name Brazil and France as the two teams he believes are favorites to lift the trophy this year. He told DIRECTV Sports last month (h/t GOAL):
"We always say the same great teams... but, if I have to choose, Brazil and France are the two great candidates to win the World Cup. They've had the same group [of players] for a long time, working well."
The former Barcelona forward continued:
"France, aside from the last Euros when they were eliminated [in the last 16] and did badly, they have some impressive players. They have a clear idea and the same coach [Didier Deschamps]. Brazil is a bit the same [under Tite]."
The FIFA World Cup will get underway when hosts Qatar lock horns with Ecuador on November 20.
