Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jérôme Rothen criticized Philippe Diallo’s communication about the successor to Didier Deschamps as the head coach of the French national team. He believes that the president of the French Football Federation should announce Zinedine Zidane’s arrival before the 2026 World Cup.
The French national team gathered at Clairefontaine on Monday before heading to the United States for friendlies against Brazil and Colombia. Meanwhile, Deschamps remains in charge and hopes to finish his tenure leading the team at the upcoming World Cup. Rothen, speaking on RMC, criticized Diallo for creating unnecessary suspense surrounding the next French head coach. He urged Diallo to promptly reveal Zidane’s appointment.
Rothen emphasized that Zidane is the clear favorite to succeed Deschamps, and he urged Diallo to stop delaying the announcement. He suggested that Diallo simply call Zidane and ask if he wants the job, rather than prolonging the process. Rothen also criticized Diallo’s alleged indecisiveness and theatrics.
Former French international Christophe Dugarry, who knows Zidane from their time together at Bordeaux, understands Diallo’s reluctance to announce the new head coach. Dugarry suggested that Diallo is trying not to upset Deschamps or distract the team before the World Cup.
Despite acknowledging the need for caution, Dugarry criticized Diallo for not fully aligning with Deschamps’ preferences. He suggested that Diallo should trust Deschamps’ judgment and not indulge in childish or political antics.
Dugarry concluded by expressing the desire for a less bureaucratic and more football-oriented leader at the FFF. The article was written by Jean-Guy Lebreton in collaboration with Rothen s’enflamme.
