Zidane’s Missed Opportunity: Revealed Desire to Manage France in 2012
2 May 2025 — French football legend Zinédine Zidane was keen to take charge of the national team over a decade ago, but was passed over for the role in favour of Didier Deschamps, a new book has revealed.
In World Champions 98, Secrets and Power, released today in France, fresh insight is offered into the behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped French football’s modern era. One of the most striking revelations comes from former French Football Federation (FFF) president Noël Le Graët, who confirms that Zidane had expressed a strong desire to manage Les Bleus following Laurent Blanc’s departure in 2012.
“Zinédine Zidane would have liked to lead the Blues,” Le Graët is quoted as saying. “It’s clear—he wanted it. I met him at his request. But it wasn’t the right time; he needed to manage a team first.”
At the time, Zidane had not yet acquired his full coaching qualifications or senior managerial experience. Instead, the FFF appointed Didier Deschamps, a fellow 1998 World Cup winner, who went on to enjoy a highly successful tenure, including winning the 2018 World Cup in Russia and reaching the final again in 2022.
Zidane, meanwhile, quietly embarked on his coaching journey. He went on to earn his coaching licences and served as Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid. His managerial career later soared when he took charge of the Spanish giants himself, leading them to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
Speculation has long surrounded the possibility of Zidane eventually succeeding Deschamps. That speculation intensified in recent years, especially as Zidane has remained without a managerial post since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, amid persistent rumours linking him with the French national team.
Now, with Deschamps’ future still uncertain beyond the next international tournament, questions are being raised once more. Could Zidane finally take the reins of the team he once dreamed of leading?
For now, the answer remains unclear. But this latest revelation adds weight to the belief that Zidane’s ambition to manage France has never truly faded—and that the door may not be closed.