“There is a lot of talk about Zidane being Deschamps’ successor. We will have to see what happens after the World Cup, but I believe it would be the right move for him to be the next coach.”
Those were the words of David Trezeguet. The comments were brief, in response to a question from The National on the sidelines at the Sharjah Week of the Stars event held this week, but they carried weight given both the profile of the speaker and the ongoing discussion around France’s managerial direction.
Trezeguet, the former France striker and World Cup-winning teammate of both Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane, was one of the guests at the event organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.
The former Juventus striker was bullish when describing France’s prospects ahead of this summer's World Cup, describing the current squad as capable of winning the tournament and framing the upcoming competition as a defining moment for Deschamps.
“The French national team is an excellent side. They have everything needed to win this World Cup and are certainly the number one favourites," said Trezeguet, who earned 71 caps for Les Bleus and scored the extra-time winner to clinch the Euro 2000 final against Italy.
"As for Deschamps, this will be his final assignment, and I believe he will want to finish on a high. The team is strong, it’s an interesting side, and it feels like everything is still wide open.”
Among the many legends taking part in Sharjah was Fernando Llorente, the former Athletic Bilbao and Spain striker who was visiting the emirate for the first time.
“It’s my first time in Sharjah. I had never heard of Sharjah,” he said, before adding, “I came three times to Dubai, but I’m so happy to be here and to get to know this beautiful city.”
Llorente spoke warmly about the environment and its family-friendly atmosphere, noting how excited he was to return to the emirate one day with his wife and children to explore.
He also reflected on Spain’s prospects at the World Cup following their European Championship success of 2024.
“I think we have a very good team, very good players,” he said. Praising head coach Luis de la Fuente, he added, “he created a very compact team, they enjoy playing together a lot.”
Llorente admitted Spain winning the Euros came as a surprise as they didn’t expect to win the tournament. “The World Cup is very, very difficult,” Llorente cautioned. “You have to go step by step.”
His presence in Sharjah was tied to the Legends Padel Tour at World Padel Academy, one of the key highlights of the week. Speaking about his post-football life, Llorente explained how padel helped him adjust to retirement.
“Padel is a very beautiful sport and helped me a lot in the transition when I finished football,” he said. On stepping away from the professional game, he admitted, “When you finish your career it’s like you have too much free time. You miss that feeling with your teammates.” The competitive edge remains, however. “I love the competition as well. I am a very competitive player, and I try to improve every day in padel.”
The week will culminate on Sunday with the Night of the Stars at Sharjah Football Stadium, a showcase event set to bring together 36 international football legends for a celebratory friendly match. Roberto Baggio, Fabio Cannavaro, Mido and Wesley Sneijder are among the former greats confirmed to take part.
Former AC Milan defender Luca Antonini was also in attendance and smiled when asked whether Italy will make it to the World Cup. The country hasn’t qualified for the past two editions. “I hope so, because a World Cup without Italy is not the same, honestly,” he said with a smile. “All of the players from other countries want Italy in the World Cup.”
Antonini spoke about his wider work in the UAE and his role at United FC in Dubai, having moved from Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr. “For me, football has never been about money,” he said. “I always thought football, when I was young, was about enjoyment.”
As technical director of the academy, his focus is on long-term development. “To start to give them the idea of professional football, you have to start from the beginning,” he explained. Excited to be reunited with Andrea Pirlo, who is coach of the first team, he feels the club has the right people and strategy to build together for the future.
