Why the FFF decided against honouring Deschamps at Zidane's Stade de France return

The French Football Federation (FFF) deliberately ruled out any official tribute to Didier Deschamps during France-Italy on October 2 at Stade de France, a Nations League match marking Zinédine Zidane’s first home appearance on the bench for Les Bleus. FFF president Philippe Diallo confirmed that a ceremony honouring the 2018 World Cup-winning manager will indeed take place, but at a later date.

According to consultant Pierre Ménès, the decision not to overlap the two events was a matter of common sense. “I think the Federation didn’t want there to be a collision between Deschamps’ farewell and Zidane’s return to Stade de France,” he said on his YouTube channel. He added that a tribute that evening could have exposed the former manager to whistles, which would have served no one well.

The question of timing remains open. France’s next home match is scheduled in Bordeaux on November 15 against Turkey — a setting that Ménès considers poorly suited for such a ceremony. The tribute is therefore postponed to a date yet to be determined.

Deschamps stepped down after ten years leading the French national team, during which he guided Les Bleus to the World Cup title in 2018 and to the Euro 2016 final. Zidane succeeded him and began his tenure with two away victories, in Turkey and then Belgium, before this first fixture on French soil.