Posted by Chinenye on Tue 28th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
French football icon Zinedine Zidane has opened up on the decision that shaped his coaching journey, revealing why he waited years for one particular opportunity.
(Zinedine Zidane. Photo by The Mirror)
The legendary French football player Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he declined several offers to become the coach of the national team, stating that it was the only role he wanted and that he waited patiently for an opportunity to take it.
Following his appointment as France's new head coach, Zidane stated at a news conference that managing the national team has always been his dream.
According to Sky Sports, he stated, "Over the past four or five years, I received offers from clubs, but I declined them all in favor of the national team."
He claimed that a number of clubs had approached him for management posts.
The only position I wanted to pursue after leaving Real Madrid was this one.
In addition to being a fan, I have always thought of the French national team as a possible manager.
This is the reason I decided against playing a club team.
Zidane said he was prepared for the challenge and thanked Didier Deschamps for his help.
"There is nothing more significant than the France national team," he continued. "I have stated this many times.
As a result, I am incredibly happy and proud to be managing this team. There is also a lot of responsibility involved. I'm emotional and ready for the task.
This is my motivation. I have the opportunity to lead this team today, and I will put my all into making sure it succeeds.
Additionally, I would like to congratulate DD [Deschamps] for his exceptional years of service.
Deschamps, who finished coaching the national team following the FIFA World Cup, was replaced by Zidane.