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After the ignominy of their group-stage exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, French football bounced back impressively in the previous decade. In the international arena, Les Bleus built arguably the most well-rounded national squad in the world, which resulted in glory at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
On the domestic circuit, big-spending Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have developed into perennial Champions League contenders. From Neymar to Lionel Messi, many of the world's best players now ply their trade in Ligue 1.
Meanwhile, French stars Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema have cemented themselves as some of the most prolific players in their respective positions. With another ultra-talented crop of French youngsters rapidly rising through the ranks, the signs are ominous for Les Bleus' rivals.
This strong resurgence is also reflected in the coaching dugout. While the 2010s were dominated by Spanish and German managers, French coaches also showed their class by winning some of the biggest prizes in world football.
On that note, here's a look at five of the greatest French managers to have graced the dugout:
Honourable mentions:
Michel Hidalgo - Although he never won the French league as a manager, Hidalgo was instrumental in rebuilding the national team during one of its toughest periods. He led France to fourth place at the 1982 World Cup and won the 1984 Euros.
Guy Roux - He managed Auxerre for over 40 years. Roux led the unfancied club up to Ligue 1 after winning the Second Division, and won the top-flight title in 1995-96. He also led the club to four Coupe de France wins
#5 Albert Batteux
Known as the most successful manager in French club football history, Batteux made his name with Reims, whom he also represented during his playing career. He began his first coaching stint at the young age of 29, and led Reims to five league titles, the first of which came in 1953.
The French side even made deep runs in Europe, reaching two European Cup finals before falling to Real Madrid on both occasions.
He then moved to Saint-Ettiene, where he won four consecutive league titles between 1967 and 1970. Les Verts went on to dominate French football in the 1970s as Batteux added two Coupe de France trophies to his haul.
#4 Aime Jacquet
Aime Jacquet led Les Bleus to their first-ever triumph at the FIFA World Cup in 1998, sealing his place in French folklore. A methodical coach, Jacquet transformed the team from an underachiever who played beautiful football into a disciplined unit that won key games without flamboyance.
He was appointed head coach of France after they embarrassingly failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Under his tutelage, the French team bounced back quickly, reaching the semi-finals of Euro 1996. Les Bleus then shocked fancied Brazil in the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup to come away with a brilliant 3-0 win.
Jacquet was also an excellent club manager in his own right, winning three Ligue 1 titles and two Coupe de France trophies with Bordeaux in the 1980s.
#3 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane already has a convincing case for the title of best player in French history. By the time his managerial career comes to an end, it won't be a surprise if he's comfortably the most successful French head coach as well.
Critics of Zidane question his coaching abilities, and that he has only managed one club, Real Madrid, who had the best squad in the world at the time. However, the numbers don't lie. He has won 190 of his 301 games as Los Blancos head coach, giving him a staggering win percentage of over 63.
He is one of only three managers to have won the Champions League (formerly known as the European Cup) three times. In fact, Zidane is the only coach to win the prestigious competition three times in a row, which is a record that could stand for a very long time. He also won the La Liga, FIFA Club World Cup, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Super Cup two times apiece.
With 11 trophies in just six seasons (two of which were incomplete), Zidane could end as one of the greatest coaches ever. He is just 49 years old, and has a long career ahead of him. It is an open secret that he covets the French national team job, and could take over after this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
#2 Didier Deschamps
After captaining France to glory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, it was only fitting that Didier Deschamps coached them to a second triumph in the 2018 edition. The memorable win saw him become just the third man to win the FIFA World Cup both as a player and a manager.
Tasked with picking up the pieces of a broken French national team after a disastrous 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, Deschamps delivered in style.
France reached the final of Euro 2016, falling to Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. They finally exorcised the demons by clinching the 2018 World Cup, and also added the 2020 Nations League to their haul of international trophies. Les Bleus will also enter this year's World Cup in Qatar as one of the favourites.
Although there are question marks over Deschamps' pragmatic and defensive approach, his results speak for himself. At club level, he took AS Monaco to the 2003 Champions League final, and helped the French team win a Coupe de France trophy.
He also helped Juventus climb out of Serie B in 2006-07 after the infamous match-fixing scandal. Deschamps won Ligue 1 with Marseille in 2010, and three consecutive French Cups. A calm manager who never walks away from even the toughest of situations, Deschamps is undoubtedly a French legend.
#1 Arsene Wenger
One of the brightest minds the sport has seen, Arsene Wenger had brilliance that cannot be overstated. Although he has never coached the French national team, Wenger is one of the greatest club managers in football history.
The Frenchman has changed football as we know it, and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as revolutionaries such as Rinus Michels and Johann Cryuff. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Wenger introduced new training methods, diets, strategies and tactics while transforming the way players approached games.
Wenger made his name with Monaco in France, leading the club to the 1987-88 Ligue 1 title in his debut season as the club's manager. He also led them to a Coupe de France triumph and the final of the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup.
He then had an unexpected yet successful stint in Japan with Nagoya Grampus, winning trophies, before arriving at Arsenal in 1996. Wenger spent the next 22 years with the Gunners, winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups.
Under the Frenchman, Arsenal became famous for playing an attractive, free-flowing, silky brand of football. Wenger's style at the time was quite different from the direct and physical approach of English football, yet the Arsenal manager was the catalyst for change. He managed the Gunners in 1224 matches, winning 708 of them.
