Zinedine Zidane would be the ideal replacement for Didier Deschamps as France manager, according to Antoine Griezmann.
The former Real Madrid boss is currently out of a job having left Los Blancos in the summer, after winning three consecutive Champions League trophies.
Why Zidane could replace Deschamps in four key points
- Zidane left Real Madrid in May 2018, just five days after leading them to another Champions League trophy.
- Deschamps has regularly been the subject of criticism as France manager despite winning the World Cup.
- Griezmann feels Zidane would be a suitable replacement should Deschamps step down.
- No manager has won more Champions League and European Cup titles than Zidane (three).
Deschamps led France to glory in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the country’s second title, but still came under some criticism for not getting the best out of his exciting young team.
And, speaking about the future of the French national team, Griezmann backed Zidane to take over whenever Deschamps decides to step down.
“I don’t know how long Deschamps wants to remain as national manager,” Griezmann told ESPN.
“He has earned the respect he has, and I think he will be on the job as much as he wants. However, I believe Zidane could be the best manager available [for France].”
But Griezmann did go on to add: “Actually, Deschamps has done a terrific job.”
Deschamps has not made any hints of stepping down as France manager, and his current contract does not run out until after Euro 2020.
The defending world champions lost for the first time post-World Cup last week, falling 2-0 to the Netherlands which, as a result, sees their place in the Uefa Nations League final four in doubt.
Les Bleus are currently top of League A1 but have played their four games, and must hope for Germany to beat the Netherlands to secure passage to the finals in Portugal next June.
Deschamps admits Zidane will manage France one day
Griezmann is not the first Frenchman to back Zidane to succeed in managing the national team, with former defender Frank Leboeuf admitting in 2017 that he thinks Zidane will replace Deschamps eventually.
“I don’t know when [current France boss Didier] Deschamps will decide, or when the federation will decide to get rid of him, but we all feel that Zidane will be the next national coach,” he said.
“That is, if he wants to, because if he carries on being successful with Real Madrid then he won’t take the job even if the seat is free.
Zinedine Zidane: He came, he saw, he conquered. ⚔️https://t.co/4EiDXLJW1T
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 31, 2018
“It’s very hard to stay as Real Madrid coach for a long time, Mr Perez is very impatient. When it’s possible, Zidane will join the national team, that’s for sure. It seems that when Zinedine Zidane touches something, it becomes golden.”
And it’s not just players, with Deschamps himself believing Zidane will one day manage France.
“It’s not me who holds the keys (to the national team), it’s my president,” Deschamps said prior to the World Cup.
“I don’t know what he (Zidane) has decided. For now, I think he wants to enjoy his rest, his family and loved ones. He will be coach at some point. When? I cannot say, but that seems logical to me. It will happen when it happens.”
Can you name every manager to win the Champions League since 1992?
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