Didier Deschach succeeded in this during his fourteen-year tenure. Now his successor must also achieve this. Didier Deschach and his players will travel to the United States on Tuesday for two friendly matches: the first against Brazil on March 26, and the second against Colombia on March 29. The national team will also play two friendly matches in France: on June 4 in Nantes against Ivory Coast, and on June 8 in Lille against an opponent to be determined later. Between these dates, on May 13, Deschach will announce the list of players who will represent France in the 2026 World Cup. 'The Roosters' will face Senegal in the group stage, then a team that qualifies through the global playoffs, and finally Norway. 'A relationship must be built between the coach and the French people,' said Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, in an interview with Le Figaro, admitting that he knows the name of the coach who will succeed Didier Deschach after the 2026 World Cup. When asked by the newspaper, 'Do you know the name of the next coach?', Diallo replied, 'Yes, I know his name,' without revealing it. When Le Figaro pressed the question to find out if the coach was Zinedine Zidane, the frontrunner to replace Deschach, who has been in the role since 2012, Diallo dodged the question with a smile, saying, 'I invite you to meet with us after the World Cup,' insisting on his desire to announce the new coach's identity post-tournament. Diallo also revealed he had received 'fewer than five applications, all from France' for the position, but he outlined the key characteristics of the prospective coach, who will be tasked with 'leading one of the world's biggest national teams.' The federation president added, 'The candidate must possess multiple qualities and also gain the acceptance of the French people, because the French national football team is their team.'
