- How much is David Beckham set to pocket from his World Cup brand deals? Take on our quiz in our newsletter HERE
- See more Daily Mail on Google – save us as a Preferred Source
France want to wrap up the appointment of Zinedine Zidane to replace Didier Deschamps, as the nation comes to terms with the semi-final defeat by Spain, which has been called ‘the wreck in Dallas.’
Zidane, who has not watched France’s World Cup matches in the US, wants to recruit his former international team-mate Fabien Barthez as part of an overhaul of the coaching staff, when Deschamps steps away after 14 years at the helm following the tournament.
Zidane, 54, who hasn’t been in management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, will be expected to inspire a higher level of competitive intensity than Deschamps’ players showed against Spain, where Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele were anonymous.
He would capture the imagination of the French public in a way that Deschamps – a team-mate of his in the 1998 World Cup winning side who was famously called ‘the water-carrier’ by former France team-mate Eric Cantona – never entirely has.
But he will face a formidable challenge in toppling arguably the greatest and most balanced side Spain have ever had. Deschamps has been remarkably consistent, taking France to three successive World Cup semi-finals, though failing to repeat the victory of 2018. Succeeding him may be harder than some think.
Though the team were more ambitious in the USA than at Euro 2024, when another semi-final defeat by Spain earned them heavy criticism at home, ultimately there was no one to share Kylian Mbappe’s load as a game-changer against Spain. The respected L’Equipe columnist Vincent Duluc said some of Deschamps’ players, particularly Olise and Dembele, looked like they were ‘suffering from illness’ against Spain and that the team was ‘not good physically.’
Zinedine Zidane (right) is set to replace Didier Deschamps as France manager imminently
Kylian Mbappe and Deschamps walk in different directions after France’s World Cup exit
Zidane is thought to have a strong relationship with Mbappe. The two share a strong friendship with the head of security for the French team, Mohamed Sanhadji. It has also been reported in France that Zidane sees Olise as ideally suited to a No 10 role behind Mbappe. Zidane and Barthez were close during their playing careers and are regulars at reunions of the 1998 France squad.
Deschamps admitted after the 2-0 defeat that his team had been ‘a step below, technically, against a team that knew what they were doing’ and said of the 2-0 defeat: ‘It’s primarily our fault. I don’t take anything away from the quality of this Spanish team, which controlled the game.’
He questioned the Salvadorean referee’s professional ability to officiate in a game where he was inconsistent. ‘I ask a question, and I’m not going to answer it: “Is the referee good enough to officiate a World Cup semi-final?’ There were certain situations often unfavourable to us”,’ he remarked.
But few in France are seriously questioning the decision to award a penalty for Lucas Digne’s accidental first-half kick at Lamine Yamal. Digne, who PSG want to sign from Aston Villa, was completely outplayed by Yamal, while Rodri cut off the channels by which France tried to locate Mbappe.
Deschamps said: ‘We made a few technical errors and missed passes that could have led to situations and chances. We have to accept it, even if it hurts. So, we’ll play the third-place match [in Miami on Saturday.] We’ll play it; it doesn’t take anything away from what we’ve achieved. But in this match, Spain showed something extra.’
How much is David Beckham set to pocket from his World Cup brand deals? Take on our quiz in our newsletter HERE
