French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet says Zinedine Zidane must prove himself elsewhere before he can become manager of the national team.
#INSERT type:image caption:Zidane has been linked with Bordeaux and Monaco. END#
Le Graet was quoted in a book published last month as saying that the former France midfielder, 41, wanted to succeed Laurent Blanc as coach of Les Bleus after Euro 2012.
Zidane is expected to take up his first managerial role next season and in recent months the Real Madrid assistant has been linked with the top job at both Bordeaux and Monaco.
"In 2012, it was way too early," Le Graet told RTL on Friday. "Now it's good -- he's a man who should get a club very soon. I believe he wants to and he'll see a lot later that he needs to prove himself at a big club before thinking of a national team.
"I think he should find a club that will lead him on a career as exemplary as his playing one."
In the same interview, Le Graet offered a partial defence for Franck Ribery after the Bayern Munich midfielder slapped Real Madrid's Daniel Carvajal on Tuesday.
The France international said he did not regret his actions during Bayern's 4-0 loss in the Champions League semifinal second leg but Le Graet said it was out of character.
"It's a bad reaction," he said. "He may have been provoked."