France’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals has triggered reports that Didier Deschamps may be on his way out as head coach, with one account saying Zinedine Zidane is now set to take over.[1][2]

The two accounts agree on the result, but differ on what was said after it and on how certain Deschamps’s exit appears to be.[1][2]

Deschamps’ reaction after the loss

One report said Deschamps questioned the referee’s competence after France’s defeat, and suggested that reaction could signal his departure.[1]

The other report did not mention any criticism of the referee, instead focusing on the expected coaching change.[2]

Zidane linked to the job

The second account said former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is set to replace Deschamps as France coach after the semi-final defeat.[2]

It also said Deschamps had already confirmed he would leave the role after the tournament, although that claim was not echoed in the other source.[2]

Evidence ledger

What is confirmed

  • France lost 2-0 to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.[1][2]

What remains disputed or unverified

  • Didier Deschamps questioned the referee’s competence after the defeat.[1]
  • Deschamps’s criticism of the referee signalled that he was leaving his post.[1]
  • Zinedine Zidane is set to replace Deschamps as France coach.[2]
  • Deschamps already confirmed he would leave after the tournament.[2]
Version and update history
  1. Version 1 · — Initial source-grounded generation