Is France vs England Didier Deschamps' final match in charge of Les Bleus?
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Deschamps led France to the World Cup trophy in 2018.
When Les Bleus meet England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff on Saturday, Didier Deschamps’ incredible 14-year tenure as France’s coach comes to an end.
After a brilliant career as a player and coach, Deschamps, 57, was determined to end his career by leading Les Bleus to a second World Cup victory.
With a string of dazzling offensive performances, France validated their status as the 2026 tournament favourite. But they lost to Spain in the semifinals.
They are now left chasing third place after the heartbreaking 2-0 loss in Arlington, Texas. That defeat prevented them from reaching a third straight World Cup final.
Didier Deschamps to step down as France coach
Didier Deschamps will always be recognised. The mastermind behind France’s spectacular FIFA World Cup 2018 campaign, 20 years after leading the squad to their first World Cup title.
In 2010, the French team was at its lowest point. They were eliminated from the World Cup in the group stage due to a revolt against then-coach Raymond Domenech.
The squad advanced to the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 under Laurent Blanc. But Deschamps completely changed them. In 2018, he guided France to victory in Russia at a tournament that catapulted Kylian Mbappé to international fame.
Mbappé sends a heartfelt message on Didier Deschamps’ last game
Kylian Mbappé, the 27-year-old captain of France, wrote a touching tribute to Didier Deschamps, the departing manager of Les Bleus, on X.
Tonight’s World Cup 2026 Bronze final between Thomas Tuchel’s England and France marks Deschamps’ last match as manager of the French national side. In his fourteen years as France’s manager, this will be his 185th game.
Mbappe’s message: “Today is your last dance. You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed.
“Putting words to what you brought over 14 years is very difficult, so major an actor were you in the revival of this team. People haven’t always known how to appreciate your greatness, but time and history will take care of that… Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years.
“I feel privileged to have been able to stand alongside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I hold only excellent memories of everything we lived through and accomplished together. I wish you the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you brought to this jersey that means so much to us.”
How many World Cups has Didier Deschamps won as France manager?
He has won only once as French coach (2018). He did lead them to the 2022 final as well.
Who will be the next France manager?
Zinedine Zidane is set to be their next manager.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.