France boss Didier Deschamps has said he expects Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane to take charge of the national team "at one point" in the future.

Deschamps and Zidane are both considered iconic figures in French football having been part of the side that won the FIFA World Cup in 1998. The former took over as Les Bleus boss in 2012 and went on to win the prize with his country in the summer of 2018, too.

The 51-year-old agreed a new contract with the world champions recently that will see him steer France's defence of their world title at the tournament in Qatar in 2022.

Speaking to Le Monde (h/t Sacha Pisani of Goal), the former midfielder was asked about the prospect of Zidane replacing him further down the line: "The next coach could be Zizou. At one point or another, it'll be him. When you're a coach, there's no age limit. It's the results that make you last."

Deschamps enjoyed remarkable success as a player and was an exceptional leader for the France team.

The midfielder was inspirational in their win in 1998 on home soil before he helped the side to UEFA European Championship glory a couple of years later. It's a feat he'll be seeking to repeat as a manager when France head into this summer's major tournament as one of the favourites for glory.

In October, OptaJean reflected on the fine work done by Deschamps so far:

By the time the World Cup in 2022 comes around, the former midfielder would have been in charge of the national team for 10 years, and perhaps the time will be right for a change.

At that point, it would be intriguing to see if Zidane, who returned to Real Madrid for a second spell as manager last season, would be open to taking on the position.

Like Deschamps, he was part of the successful sides in 1998 and 2000. Zidane is considered one of the best French players of all time—his elegant midfield play and creativity made him a joy to watch.

He's enjoyed incredible success as a manager, too, winning three UEFA Champions League titles in his first stint as Madrid boss.

Following on from Wednesday's 0-0 Clasico draw with Barcelona, Match of the Day reflected on his strong record in Los Blancos' biggest game:

Should Deschamps move on at the end of his next contract, there'll be no shortage of coaches in the hunt for the France job, as the country is blessed with some of the best players in the world.

Madrid will be hoping Zidane is still in charge and thriving when that time comes. Under the guidance of the 47-year-old, Los Blancos appear in a much stronger position to compete for major prizes.