Germany, France Set to Appoint New National Football Coaches; Italy Still Searching

Kathmandu. After the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the national teams of three major European football nations (Germany, France, and Italy) are on the verge of changing their coaches. Germany is in the final stages of appointing Juergen Klopp as the new head coach of the national team, while it is almost certain that Zinedine Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps in France.

Italy, on the other hand, is busy searching for a new coach. Although discussions have been held with Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, a final decision is yet to be made.

Juergen Klopp to Take Charge of Germany

The German Football Association (DFB) has called a special press conference at its headquarters in Frankfurt on Friday. It is widely expected that former Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp will be unveiled as the new head coach of the German national team at this event.

Following an unexpected defeat to Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the final 32 stage of the World Cup, then-coach Julian Nagelsmann resigned. Since then, Klopp has been Germany's first choice.

Klopp, who was working as a television analyst in New York during the World Cup, held discussions with German football officials. On July 11, the federation announced that the basic terms of the agreement between both parties had been reached.

The biggest challenge in the agreement was the approval of the Red Bull group, with which Klopp is associated. Klopp had been working as the head of Red Bull's global football project for the past year and a half.

After leaving Liverpool in 2024, Klopp, who had taken a break from coaching, recently stated that he felt re-energized and ready for a new challenge.

Zinedine Zidane to Lead France

The French Football Federation (FFF) has announced that it will unveil the new national team coach at a special press conference on July 28. Although the federation has not disclosed the name, it is considered almost certain that Zinedine Zidane will be the new coach.

Didier Deschamps, who led France since 2012 and won the World Cup in 2018, ended his tenure after losing 6-4 to England in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup.

According to French media, Zidane has already signed a contract until 2030. He will officially take charge from September 1 and has begun assembling his coaching staff, including his long-term assistant David Bettoni.

The 54-year-old Zidane had not coached any team since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. However, he has long expressed his desire to manage the French national team.

As Real Madrid's coach, he achieved the historic feat of winning the Champions League three consecutive times. He also led the team to two La Liga titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cups.

If the contract is officially confirmed, Zidane will lead France in the 2027 UEFA Nations League, Euro 2028, and the 2030 World Cup.

Italy Still in Search of a Coach

Italy, however, has not yet been able to select a suitable coach for its national team. Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April after failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Paolo Maldini, the technical director of the Italian Football Federation, revealed that the first round of discussions for the new coach was held with the current coach of Brazil, Carlo Ancelotti.

However, Ancelotti has renewed his contract with Brazil until 2030, making his return to Italy unlikely.

Following this, the federation also initiated talks with Pep Guardiola, who left Manchester City. However, according to Italian media, Guardiola is demanding an annual salary of 20 million euros, which is double the amount offered by Italy.

Although the federation aims to appoint a new coach within a week, it has stated that prioritizing the selection of the most suitable person is its main objective. The names of former coaches Antonio Conte, Roberto Mancini, and former midfielder Andrea Pirlo are also being discussed as potential candidates.