Soccer-Euro-Zidane tips Deschamps for France job

By Trevor Huggins

VIENNA, June 22 (Reuters) - Former France great Zinedine Zidane tipped his 1998 World Cup winning captain Didier Deschamps on Sunday to become coach of the national team.

His comments came amid media speculation Raymond Domenech could be sacked as coach by the French Football Federation when it meets on July 3 to assess the country's disappointing group stage exit from Euro 2008.

Zidane, who retired after the 2006 World Cup, was initially reluctant to discuss such a sensitive issue, pointing out Domenech's future was not his decision.

"It will be decided on the 3rd of July and we'll see whether or not there is going to be a new coach," he told a news conference.

But he later added: "It's true someone who could replace the current coach is clearly Didier Deschamps.

"He's got everything it takes. He knows the group, he knows football very well and I think it's quite in order for him, one day, to take over."

WORLD CUP

Along with their performances for France, helping their side add the Euro 2000 title to their World Cup triumph, Zidane and Deschamps were also team mates at club level with Juventus in the late 1990s.