Soccer Football - Nations League - Group Stage - France v Israel - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - November 14, 2024 France coach Didier Deschamps REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/ File Photo
PARIS (Reuters) -France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed on Wednesday he will leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup, saying it was time to stop as Zinedine Zidane appears as the heavy favourite to take over.
The French soccer federation (FFF) told Reuters on Tuesday that Deschamps, who is France's longest serving national team coach, will not seek to renew his contract which expires in 2026 but FFF president Philippe Diallo said it was too soon to name a replacement.
Les Bleus have yet to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
"In 2026 it will be over. In my head it's very clear. I've done my time, with the same desire and passion to maintain France at the highest level but 2026 is (a) very good (time to stop)," Deschamps told TF1.
"One has to be able to say stop, there's a life after this. The most important (thing) is for France to stay at the top as they have been for many years."
Deschamps took over from fellow 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc in 2012 and led France to the World Cup title in 2018, two years after reaching the European Championship final on home soil.
Having had won trophies with every club he managed before becoming France coach, Deschamps also claimed the 2021 Nations League title with Les Bleus.
The former France captain, one of only three people to win football's most prestigious prize as a player and a coach, guided the national team to the World Cup final again in 2022, losing to Argentina on penalties after one of the best matches in the tournament's history.
His former France teammate Zidane, who headed a double in the team's 3-0 victory against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final, has repeatedly said he would like to manage Les Bleus after a sterling coaching career at Real Madrid, whom he guided to three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016-18.
"I won't get into that debate (on Zidane). Didier has a two-year contract and, out of respect for him, his staff and the players, the question of his succession does not arise today," Diallo told French sports daily L'Equipe on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru and Julien Pretot in Paris; Editing by Michael Perry and Christian Radnedge)
