Zinedine Zidane rejects offer to be USA coach: Report
Former Real Madrid coach and France legend Zinedine Zidane has rejected an offer to manage the USA men’s national team, according to a report L’Equipe.
USA’s coach’s spot is currently vacant after Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired last year. Under him they qualified for the World Cup Round of 16 before being eliminated Netherlands.
The report also added that the 1998 World Cup winner also rejected offers from Brazil and Portugal as he is only interested in the France national coach’s post.
He might have to wait till 2026, however, as the current French head coach Didier Deschamps has extended his contract until 2026, the French football federation (FFF) had said in a statement on Saturday.
Deschamps’ previous contract had expired after the 2022 World Cup, where France lost to Argentina in the final on penalties in Qatar.
Under Deschamps, France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2021 Nations League. They also reached the final of the 2016 European Championship.
Zidane, meanwhile, has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in May 2021 and has been linked with several jobs, including at Manchester United before they appointed Erik ten Hag.
Zidane won three successive Champions League trophies as Real Madrid manager between 2015-16 and 2017-18 and also marshalled his side to LaLiga glory in both 2016-17 and 2019-20.
