In a sport defined by impatience and constant churn, Zinedine Zidane has taken a different path. Nearly five years since his last game in charge of Real Madrid, the French legend appears set for a return, with reports from ESPN and Le Parisien claiming that a verbal agreement has been reached for Zidane to succeed Didier Deschamps after the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
The ‘opportunity cost’ of silence
Since leaving the Bernabeu in May 2021, Zidane has been out of work. It is worth noting that before being called up for the French National Team, Zidane reportedly turned down multiple approaches from PSG, with rumoured salaries exceeding €25M per year.
Zidane even declined an offer to be at the helm at Manchester United, citing language barriers at times. While players like Ronaldo and Neymar played in the Saudi Pro League, Zidane declined a record-breaking €150M three-year package to join the Saudi Pro League revolution, according to a report in the French daily L’Equipe.
By The Numbers
2021
By choosing the French national side over a club, Zidane has effectively left an estimated €120M – €150M (approx. Rs 1,100 Crore – Rs 1,400 Crore) in career earnings on the table.
Why 2026 could be the perfect reset
Zidane will inherit Kylian Mbappe at the absolute peak of his powers on the French side. For sponsors like Nike and Hublot, the Zizou-Mbappe partnership is a marketing supernova projected to increase the French Football Federation’s (FFF) commercial valuation.
Succeeding Deschamps, who has held the role for 14 years, allows Zidane to implement his own philosophy on the international stage, shifting France from a pragmatic defensive unit to a creative powerhouse.