Zinedine Zidane set to take over France national team as Deschamps era ends after World Cup exit
The coaching shakeup carries zero crypto implications, but the intersection of sports, fan tokens, and billion-dollar football economies makes it worth watching
Zinedine Zidane has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to become the next head coach of the France national football team, succeeding Didier Deschamps after the 2026 FIFA World Cup concludes. The transition follows France’s 2-0 semifinal loss to Spain, a result that exposed tactical fractures and prompted public criticism from captain Kylian Mbappé.
Deschamps has managed Les Bleus since 2012, delivering a World Cup title in 2018. But the manner of France’s exit, combined with Mbappé’s unusually blunt postgame comments, signals that the federation views this as the right moment for a generational reset.
What happened and why it matters beyond football
Mbappé didn’t mince words after the Spain defeat. He pointed to a “mismatched three-against-two press” that should have been a one-for-one setup, essentially saying the team was tactically outclassed before a ball was kicked in anger. He acknowledged that neither the technical nor tactical performance merited a place in the semifinals, let alone the final.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed on X that Deschamps’ tenure has effectively reached its conclusion. Separate reporting from ESPN, dating back to March 2026, indicated that Zidane had already expressed his desire for the role to the Fédération Française de Football.
Insiders confirmed on July 15, 2026, that formal steps to finalize the appointment are pending. Zidane reportedly prioritizes the national team job over club opportunities.
The crypto angle: fan tokens, sponsorships, and the attention economy
Paris Saint-Germain, where Mbappé built his reputation, launched its own fan token ($PSG) on the Chiliz blockchain. While the French national team itself hasn’t issued a token, the ecosystem around French football is deeply intertwined with crypto-adjacent products.
Major crypto exchanges have aggressively pursued football sponsorship deals in recent years. Binance partnered with Cristiano Ronaldo on NFT collections. Crypto.com secured naming rights to multiple sports venues globally. OKX became Manchester City’s training kit partner.
Fan tokens as a category have cooled considerably from their 2021-2022 peaks, when speculative fervor drove prices well above fundamental value.