The disappointment surrounding France’s failed title defense at the 2022 World Cup after a penalty shootout loss against Argentina still looks over the FFF during a mid-season World Cup where many expected the two-time champions to become just the third nation to successfully defend its global crown.
Though the future is bright for France on the pitch due to the obscene depth of young talent that can be found in all corners across the Les Blues player pool, former World Cup-winning forward Christophe Dugarry feels another man is better suited to the job moving forward than his former international teammate.
When speaking with L’Équipe (cited by Actu Foot), Dugarry named one prominent figure in particular that should come in as Deschamps’ successor in the top job in French football; Zinedine Zidane.
Dugarry : « Je ne cache pas que je préférerais que ce soit Zizou (le sélectionneur des Bleus), j’ai envie de voir autre chose. Deschamps, j’entends ce qu’il dit, mais on ne peut pas dire que l’équipe de France appartient à tout le monde et la garder pendant 12 ans. »
(@lequipe) pic.twitter.com/UgIRRBSa0P
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) December 21, 2022
“I do not hide that I would prefer it to be Zizou (the coach of the Blues), I want to see something else. Deschamps, I hear what he says, but we cannot say that the France team belongs to everyone and keep it for 12.”
Zidane’s managerial record in the technical area in the wake of his iconic playing career at the highest level of club and international football came to an end after seventeen years is notable indeed.
After a year-and-a-half at the head of Real Madrid Castilla, Zidane was given a chance at the Santiago Bernabeu that he grabbed with both hands during two stints spanning between 2016-2021 that yielded to La Liga titles and a pair of Supercopa de España wins on the homefront, while also earning a brace of UEFA Super Cup trophy ceremonies and three UEFA Champions League triumphs, making him the winningest manager in Real Madrid history in Europe’s top club competition and second only to Carlo Ancelotti for all-time in terms of trophy wins.
