Zinedine Zidane's reported agreement to become France's manager after the World Cup will end speculation over his Manchester United appointment once and for all. Reports this week emerged claiming Zidane has verbally agreed to take control of the France national team after this summer's World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
His former international team-mate, Didier Deschamps, is currently in charge, but his contract is set to expire after the tournament. Deschamps, 57, has led Les Bleus since 2012, taking them to back-to-back World Cup finals and glory in 2018.
There has been a growing consensus, however, in recent years that Zidane is waiting patiently in the shadows to take over once Deschamps steps down. The 53-year-old has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2021.
The ex-Ballon d'Or winner's impressive first stint at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2016 and 2018 saw him lift nine trophies, including three consecutive Champions League titles. Those managerial feats haven't been forgotten during his five years away from the game, with him regularly linked with the United job dating back to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal.
That was the case again prior to Ruben Amorim's appointment at Old Trafford in 2024 and once more earlier this season. Zidane has even addressed the idea of becoming United boss in the past.
In 2022, when asked if he would consider taking a Premier League job, the 1998 World Cup winner told L'Equipe: "Never say never. Especially when you are a coach today. If I go back to a club, it is to win. I say this with all modesty.
"That's why I can't just go anywhere. For other reasons, too. Certain conditions make things more difficult. When someone says to me, 'Do you want to go to Manchester [United]?' I understand English but I don't fully master it.
"I know there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It's a global context. I know what I need to win.
"Of course, I might not always win but I know that you need to have this, this and this. And I want to do everything on my side to optimise my chances of victory."
Another of Zidane's former France team-mates, Arsenal hero Emmanuel Petit, later fuelled speculation over the legendary midfielder's potential move to United by suggesting he had been taking English lessons.
Petit said: "If you are a manager of a football club, you need to speak different languages. I know Zinedine speaks different languages but, I'm pretty sure English is not one of them.
"There are so many examples of wrong decisions in football, not necessarily the wrong decision about someone's ability, but about the dressing room being a right fit given all the different nationalities.
"Communication is very important, so if you do not speak the language when you arrive at a club like Manchester United, that could be a big problem.
"I've been told that he has been learning English recently, so I think he knows it's important for his career. But Zinedine being linked with Manchester United, I don't believe it, to be honest."
The Frenchman, very rarely one to court publicity, drew attention by unexpectedly attending a Real Betis training session in 2024, sparking suggestions that the former Real Madrid boss was preparing for a return to work. However, it became clear that the training session actually marked the first time his son, Elyaz, had trained with the first team since leaving Real Madrid.
His name has recently emerged again on the list of potential candidates for the United job, which is vacant at the end of this season. Last month, Michael Carrick was put in charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis, leading to speculation over who will take on the role permanently come the summer.
Yet, even before the latest reports of an agreement being struck with France finally ended rumours of a move to United, Zidane recently reiterated his desire to manage the national team.
"I will definitely return," Zidane said during an appearance at Festival dello Sport in Trento last year. "In terms of the future, I don't know. My feeling is that I want to be able to coach the national team in the future, even though I don't mean right now. I would like to one day, but we'll see."
