Real Madrid legend and Champions League-winning manager Zinedine Zidane has revealed his ambitions to manage the French national team in the future, amid speculation that he could move to Manchester United. The Frenchman was being looked at as a possible replacement for Ruben Amorim after the Portuguese coach struggled in the first half of the season.
However, the decisive victory against Sunderland before the international match dampened the enthusiasm of the former Sporting CP chief. United currently sit 10th in the Premier League table and face a daunting return to domestic action against title-holders Liverpool, who have lost three games in a row.
Questions have swirled over Amorim’s long-term prospects, with Zidane being favored as his successor despite not being in charge in 2021. Nevertheless, his latest comments, confirming his desire to lead France while expressing his continued love for the Italian giants, will be a cause for concern for United fans hoping to see the legendary playmaker take the reins.
“I’ll definitely be back,” he said. “I don’t know.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before. I have made a different choice. Juve will always remain in my heart. From the very beginning when I went there, it gave me a lot.”
“As for the future, I don’t know. My feeling is that I would like to coach the national team in the future. Not necessarily now, but someday.”
Didier Deschamps’ contract with the French national team is due to end after the 2026 World Cup, but the accomplished manager has already announced his intention to resign, creating yet another obstacle to Zidane’s prospects of taking over at United.
“It will end in 2026,” Deschamps told French broadcaster TF1. “In my mind, it’s very clear. I’ve spent my time with the same desire and passion to keep France at the highest level, but 2026 is a very good (time to stop).”
“We have to say ‘stop’. There is life after this. The most important thing is that France continues to be at the top, as it has been for many years.”
