After all, he served his role with distinction for as many as 14 years, leading Les Bleus to heights only a few football heavyweights have scaled. Mention ‘France head coach’, our muscle memory will instantly direct us to the unassuming figure of Didier Deschamps.
Outlook
“This is the only job I wanted after my career with Real Madrid (his second stint ended in 2021). I have always looked at this team through the eyes of a future manager,” the 54-year-old said in his first press conference as France chief coach. Newly appointed Italy head coach Roberto Mancini poses before a press conference in Rome on July 29, 2026. Roberto Mancini has been named the head coach of Italy national team for a second time, tasked with revitalising the Azzurri who have missed out on the last three World Cups, FIGC president said on July 29, 2026. | Photo Credit: AFP The FIGC, the sport’s governing body in that country, eventually fell back on Mancini, the tactician who guided the Azzurri to the European championship title in 2021. Newly appointed head coach of the German national soccer team Juergen Klopp attends a news conference at the headquarters of the German Football Association DFB in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, July 24, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP Klopp, who was on a sabbatical post his Liverpool journey, threw his hat into the ring following the resignation of Julian Nagelsmann. Former Croatian international defender Slaven Bilic speaks during a press conference after being appointed Croatia’s national football team head coach, in Zagreb on July 13, 2026. Slaven Bilic who previously coached Croatia between 2006 and 2012, is replacing Zlatko Dalic who resigned after the country’s World Cup exit.
The legendary midfielder has finally landed his dream job after years of wait, and he now has the near-impossible task of bettering or matching his predecessor’s outstanding managerial record. The long-term ‘goal’, without a doubt, is to recapture the biggest prize four years from now. “It (the role) is a responsibility. Needless to say, I have high ambitions. On the pitch, I was a leader. Now, I am becoming a leader through my experience. His return came as a surprise to some, considering that he had left the Italian role for a spell with Saudi Arabia three years ago. “I am very sorry. “I am far from perfect. I want to look at the most successful Germany coaches who developed the team.
The French Football Federation would not mind the “changes” one bit if he maintains high standards in a result-based business. I am also sorry for everything that has happened over the last three years,” said Mancini, who has replaced Gennaro Gattuso. “This is the highlight of my career, and I will give all I have got in order to be successful,” said Klopp. The 57-year-old, who also coached English clubs West Ham, West Bromwich Albion and Watford, was “unanimously appointed” as head coach, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) said. | Photo Credit: AFP
