Karim Benzema Backs Zidane as France's Next Manager

Karim Benzema does not hesitate.

With France bracing for the end of the Didier Deschamps era and the beginning of something far more romantic, the veteran striker has nailed his colours to one mast: Zinedine Zidane’s.

Speaking to Konbini in their "In or Out" segment, Benzema’s answer came with the ease of a man who has already lived that footballing dream once.

"He’s a legend, he’s the big brother," he said, a simple line that carries the weight of Champions League nights and parades through Madrid. "Am I happy about him becoming the manager of Les Bleus? I don't know for sure if it’s him, but if it is him, yes, I am seriously happy."

The end of one era, the pull of another

France’s semifinal exit at the 2026 World Cup felt like a full stop. Deschamps, the architect of a World Cup win and a decade of stability, is on his way out. The French Football Federation is moving quickly to close that chapter and open another that has been teased for years.

All roads now lead to Zidane.

The FFF has called a press conference for Tuesday, with president Philippe Diallo fronting the room after an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee in the morning. The federation has not yet signed its name to Zidane’s appointment, but Diallo has already promised an announcement before the end of the month. Tuesday looks tailor‑made to deliver it.

Barring a late twist, Deschamps’ long reign will give way to the most inevitable coaching storyline in French football.

Benzema and Zidane: a bond built in trophies

For Benzema, this is not about nostalgia. It is about trust built under the brightest lights.

During Zidane’s two spells in charge at Real Madrid (2016–18 and 2019–21), Benzema became one of his manager’s most reliable weapons. Across those years, he scored 108 goals, a total bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo in Zidane’s squads. He did it while often operating in the shadows, the facilitator in the famed "BBC" trio alongside Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

That understanding between No. 9 and coach powered one of the most dominant eras in modern club football. Three consecutive Champions League titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Two LaLiga crowns. UEFA Super Cups, Spanish Super Cups, FIFA Club World Cups. Zidane lifted them, but Benzema lived every minute of the grind that made them possible.

When he calls Zidane "big brother", it is not a throwaway phrase. It is the language of a player who knows his best football flowed under that specific guidance.

A 38-year-old question

Naturally, the prospect of Zidane on the France touchline drags Benzema’s own international future back into the spotlight.

On paper, the numbers still argue his case. At 38, he is not winding down quietly. Now at Al‑Hilal, he has struck nine goals in 13 appearances this season, backing up a prolific spell at Al‑Ittihad where he scored 57 times in 87 matches. The penalty box instincts remain sharp, the finishing still ruthless.

But France have moved on while he has been away.

The attacking hierarchy has shifted, with Kylian Mbappé the undisputed reference point and Ousmane Dembélé established as a senior figure. Around them, a new wave has arrived. Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola headline the younger generation pushing their way into the picture, altering the shape and tempo of the French frontline.

That evolution is exactly why any talk of a Benzema return comes with a clear caveat: it will rest entirely on Zidane’s vision. Does he see room for a veteran finisher in a forward line being built for the next cycle? Does he want the old partnership reborn on the international stage, or does he cut the cord and commit fully to the future?

Benzema, for now, keeps his answer simple. He is happy at the thought of Zidane taking over. Anything beyond that sits on the new coach’s desk.

France on the brink of a new identity

Zidane’s appointment, once confirmed, will not just be about a famous name returning home. It will be about reshaping a team that has grown used to Deschamps’ pragmatism and tournament nous, and asking whether it can now dominate with a different kind of authority.

He inherits a squad stacked with talent, scarred by a World Cup near‑miss, and restless for another shot at global supremacy. He will also inherit the noise: calls for loyalty to the next generation, whispers about old alliances, and the constant question of how bold he dares to be.

Benzema has already cast his vote. The rest of France is about to find out what Zidane’s looks like.