Diallo confirms break between Deschamps and Zidane eras at helm of France

Philippe Diallo did not mince words: the president of the French Football Federation openly speaks of a “break” to describe the transition from Didier Deschamps to Zinédine Zidane on the France bench, in an interview with Ouest-France.

After fourteen years of the Deschamps era (2012-2026), the executive emphasizes the depth of the change. “The men have changed, the faces have changed. Not only the manager, but everyone around him, these are new faces, new skills, new experiences, a new discourse, a new method,” he details, taking care not to pit the two men against each other. “My point is not to say it’s better now or that it was worse before, but it’s different.”

Diallo cites several symbolic decisions made by Zidane during his first gathering: the choice to call up only 23 players when regulations allow 26, the decision not to replace Kylian Mbappé after his injury during the first of four matches in Turkey, and the call for new faces in the squad. All signals of a method specific to the former Real Madrid manager, whose Spanish influence shows through, according to the federation president, in his tactical sensitivity.

On the institutional front, Diallo signed a four-year contract with Zidane, which will cover the Ligue des Nations, Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. “Given the quality of the squad at his disposal, and his competence and that of his staff, all the ingredients are there for the France team to win a new title,” he concludes.

Zidane himself, according to Diallo, experienced his arrival at the helm of the Blues as the fulfillment of a personal dream before refocusing on what matters: “I think he is focused on his objective: to make the France team win.”