The extensive and remarkable tenure of Didier Deschamps with France will end in a way he wouldn’t have preferred—during Saturday’s World Cup third-place match.
The aspirations of the 57-year-old, who clinched the World Cup as a player (in 1998) and as a coach (in 2018), of winning it for a third time have ended following their 2-0 loss to Spain in Tuesday’s initial semi-final.
After showcasing a succession of remarkable attacking performances throughout the tournament, France registered only 10 shots in the entire match in Dallas, marking their lowest count in World Cup history, with an expected goals of merely 0.3, contradicting their pre-match status as overwhelming favorites.
Former France midfielder Patrick Vieira told ITV: “They haven’t shown up. I was expecting more. There were big expectations for France to win the World Cup.
“France will all be disappointed by the result and the performance. All our top players went missing. Collectively we were really bad.”
Mbappé appeared to criticize France’s tactics, adding, “We were three against two in midfield, and against Spain that’s hard.
“There was a lack of communication from the press. We should have done man-to-man press and forced them to run with us.
“When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win. Spain respected their game plan and what the team usually does.
“They are better than us at controlling a game. We didn’t manage to do it. We were too sloppy technically. We could not hurt them when we could have.”
It will offer no consolation, but Deschamps, who has been in charge since 2012, established a record in Dallas for the highest number of World Cup matches managed—26.
He had earlier held the record of 25 alongside former West Germany manager Helmut Schon.
Deschamps announced in January 2025 that he would resign following this summer’s tournament, with his farewell match set against the team that loses between England and Argentina in Miami on Saturday at 22:00 BST.
“It’s not time to talk about the future,” he said in his post-match news conference. “It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final.
“I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we’ve done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup—to take the French team to the highest level.
“I have been lucky as a player. I have enjoyed happy moments. Today is not such a moment. We must accept it without forgetting everything we experienced.”
Deschamps is one of just three individuals to achieve World Cup success both as a player and as a manager, joining Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and West Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.
His extended tenure as manager is uncommon in today’s age, having directed the national team for 14 years.
As France manager, he secured victory in 20 out of 26 World Cup matches, suffering only three losses, including the defeat against Spain in Texas.
As a player or manager, he participated in over half of the matches France won in the World Cups, including the two occasions they claimed the title.
Until now, only three teams have made it to the quarter-finals in four consecutive tournaments.
They were defeated by Argentina in penalties during the 2022 final, falling agonizingly short of becoming just the third team to defend the World Cup.
This side was anticipated to achieve more with joint tournament top scorer Kylian Mbappé, alongside Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and emerging talent Michael Olise from Bayern Munich, against a seasoned Spain defense and midfield.
“There was extra motivation for all the players at this World Cup to give Didier the ending he wanted and deserved,” said former France striker and BBC pundit Olivier Giroud.
“He deserved to exit by the big door. He did not quite manage that, but he is still great for what he has already done in his 14 years.
“His record does the talking for him.”
Giroud, who won the 2018 World Cup under Deschamps, added: “He is like a second father for some players, like a second dad.
“For me it was not quite like that, but he gave me so many times his confidence, and I tried to repay him on the pitch.
“This makes us very close, and because we won that World Cup, we are linked forever. I always call him coach.
“When you are in the national team, you don’t have much time to work on tactics, and each manager has their philosophy.
“For Didier, his was more like, ‘You are big players; I leave you some freedom on the pitch.’ He gave some instructions too, of course, to keep the balance, so you always knew where each player would be.
“The biggest thing he taught us was his desire and his drive and ambition to be the absolute best and to win every single game. His competitive mindset was so clear.”
Ex-France defender Gael Clichy, who featured during Deschamps’ inaugural year, commended him on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Deschamps, having managed Monaco, Juventus, and Marseille, took over from Laurent Blanc in 2012 following a disappointing performance in tournaments, as France was knocked out in the group stage of the 2008 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, where the team declined to train during the latter tournament due to a conflict with manager Raymond Domenech.
During Euro 2012, Laurent Blanc made a small advancement by getting to the quarter-finals, only for France to lose to the eventual champions, Spain.
The change under Deschamps has been significant, optimizing France’s consistent influx of talent and establishing a mostly cohesive team during his tenure.
Deschamps has not triumphed in the Euros, but France reached the final on home ground in 2016 and the semi-finals in 2024.
“His legacy was that he took a team that was below par and he managed to bring that team back up to the top,” said ex-Arsenal and Manchester City player Clichy, who manages third-tier Caen in France.
“This legacy of his really means we don’t have to talk about what he should or could have done.
“What he has done for French football as a player and a coach is fantastic. It is phenomenal.”
The leading candidate to take over from Deschamps is ex-teammate Zinedine Zidane.
ESPN reported externally in March that there was a verbal agreement for Zidane to assume control this summer.
The 54-year-old, who captured the 1998 World Cup with Deschamps, secured three Champions League titles as the coach of Real Madrid, his sole managerial position.
He concluded his second tenure with the Spanish giants in 2021.
