France's head coach, Didier Deschamps, believes that his former teammate Zinedine Zidane would be "a very good candidate" to replace him at the helm of Les Bleus after he steps down following the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with L'Équipe, Le Figaro, and Le Parisien, Deschamps emphasized that Zidane is a "natural and expected" choice, although he clarified that the decision will depend on the former Real Madrid coach's willingness and the final say of French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo.

Deschamps reaffirmed that leaving the national team does not mean retiring from football and that he will consider new opportunities when the time comes. "I'm not retiring; I'm leaving something that has been wonderful for many years, but no, I'm not going to retire," he assured. He also mentioned that, while he hasn't received any offers, he is currently unavailable due to his ongoing contract with the FFF until 2026.

Mbappé’s future with the national team

In the same interview, Deschamps addressed Kylian Mbappé, confirming that the Real Madrid forward will return to the national team in March after missing the last matches for "very specific reasons." The coach is confident that Mbappé is fully recovered both physically and mentally, which is reflected in his performances.

He also ruled out changes in the team's captaincy, praising the striker's leadership: "I have no reason to say he won’t be captain in March. He has handled his role very well after Hugo Lloris’ departure."

With a clear plan for his departure from France’s national team, Deschamps leaves the door open for Zidane as a potential successor. However, the final decision will rest with Diallo and 'Zizou' himself.