In the context of the hot discussion in French football that legendary star Zidane may replace Deschamps as the national team coach, the active French captain and number one star Mbappe publicly expressed his strong support and expectations for this prospect.
Mbappe said in an interview: "No one will reject Zidane. The only thing that can say 'no' is himself. If he is willing to take over, it would be an incredible thing. Of course, if someone else coaches, I will accept it. But in the entire history of French football, only Zidane has almost absolute authority and special status."
Since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2019, Zidane has remained low-key and declined coaching invitations from many top clubs. However, it is generally believed that coaching the French national team is his most ideal and natural next stop - after all, he once led the "Gallic Rooster" to win the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Cup as a player, which is a symbol of the golden age of French football.
At present, the French team's head coach is still held by Deschamps. Since taking office in 2012, Deschamps has led the team to compete for more than ten years and successfully won the Hercules Cup in 2018. However, Deschamps has made it clear that it will officially leave office after the 2026 US, Canada and Mexico World Cup, paving the way for Zidane to return to the national team.
Mbappe believes that the current French team brings together the most talented generation of players in history, but to truly go down in history, it still needs to prove itself with the championship trophy. In his opinion, Zidane is the "perfect puzzle" that can lead the team to its peak.
In the recent 2026 World Cup qualifiers, France started successfully, defeating Ukraine 2-0 and Iceland 2-1, achieving two consecutive victories. Mbappe scored goals in both games and was in excellent form, which made the team a good start to move towards a new cycle.
As the Deschamps era approaches, discussions on whether the "Zidane era" can be started are becoming more and more intense. As the team leader, Mbappe has opened the door to this French football legend.
