After the 2026 World Cup scheduled for this summer in America, Zinedine Zidane is expected to succeed Didier Deschamps at the helm of Les Bleus. According to our information, the former Real Madrid coach is set to arrive with his loyal assistants and a staff steeped in the spirit of France 1998.
Philippe Diallo has all but confirmed what everyone has been speculating for months. In an interview broadcasted on Sunday by Le Figaro, the president of the French Football Federation revealed that he “knows the name” of Didier Deschamps’ successor without disclosing it. The coach of the French national team is set to step down after the 2026 World Cup hosted this summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. If everything goes as expected, he should be replaced by Zinedine Zidane. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Zidane is logically working on forming his coaching staff.
The 53-year-old technician, who has been without a job since the summer of 2021 and the end of his second term with Real Madrid, is expected to return to Clairefontaine with his iconic assistants, David Bettoni—who has been a persistent name in the rumors—and Hamidou Msaidie. Bettoni, 54, has coached in recent years at FC Sion in Switzerland and more recently at Club Africain in Tunisia. Msaidie, 50, has not had an official position since leaving Real Madrid. Known for his discretion and tendency to keep his working methods private, he conducted a thesis on how to reprogram the brain after an injury and recently launched a podcast where the three men reunited to discuss their shared experiences in Spain. This exercise seems almost unnatural for Hamidou Msaidie, like a warm-up before being put in a more exposed position.
Context:
Zinedine Zidane is being lined up to take over as the head coach of the French national team after the 2026 World Cup.
Fact Check:
Zidane is expected to return to Clairefontaine with his trusted assistants to form a coaching staff reminiscent of the 1998 French team.
A strong bond with Alain Boghossian
Alongside his trusted team, Zizou is looking for “loyal people” to join his staff. Some former players from the 1998 World Cup squad could be part of it. “He also wants people who do the job and don’t leak anything to the press,” a source familiar with the matter explained. One name frequently mentioned and favored by the former French number 10 in private is that of Alain Boghossian.
The 55-year-old former midfielder, who served as an assistant to Raymond Domenech and Laurent Blanc in the French national team between 2008 and 2012, is currently a consultant for RTL and M6. He shares a strong bond with the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner. When contacted by RMC Sport, the ex-Parma and Marseille player declined to comment on the subject.
Context:
Zinedine Zidane is seeking loyal and discreet individuals to join his coaching staff, including former players from the 1998 French national team.
Fact Check:
Alain Boghossian might be a key figure in Zidane’s coaching staff, as he is trusted by the former Real Madrid coach.
