Didier Deschamps’ storied reign as France head coach is down to one final match, after Spain’s 2-0 semifinal victory in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday ended Les Bleus’ bid for a third World Cup title in the manager’s farewell tournament.
Deschamps announced before the World Cup that he would step down regardless of the result, closing a 14-year era that delivered the 2018 World Cup title. His last game will be Saturday’s third-place match at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, against the loser of Wednesday’s England-Argentina semifinal.
The Semifinal: Spain Too Strong in Dallas
France struggled to unlock a resolute Spanish side at Dallas Stadium, with the task complicated by losing defender William Saliba too early in the match. Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni battled against the tide as Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams stretched the French defense.
Deschamps was brutally honest afterward, admitting France weren’t technically sound enough to win and needed to be at their best, but simply weren’t:
“We made mistakes, more technical mistakes than we had made until now.”
One of Football’s Most Decorated Careers
Deschamps departs as one of only three men to win the World Cup as both player and coach, alongside Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, having captained France to glory in 1998 and managed them to the 2018 title in Russia.
His managerial record is staggering: since taking over after Euro 2012, he guided France to the 2018 World Cup crown, the 2021 Nations League, and finals at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. His 20 World Cup match wins as a coach are the most in tournament history, as are his 10 knockout-stage victories.
A Farewell Tinged With Grief
The tournament carried personal heartbreak: Deschamps missed France’s group-stage finale against Norway in June to fly home for his mother’s funeral, receiving the full backing of his players before returning for the knockout rounds.
As a player, Deschamps won 103 caps from 1989 to 2000, retiring after captaining France to the Euro 2000 title, the resume of a serial winner bookended, now, by a quiet Texas night.
Zidane Waiting in the Wings
Attention has already turned to the succession. According to ESPN, Zinedine Zidane has reached a verbal agreement with the French Football Federation to take over after the tournament, with final contract details still to be completed.
FFF president Philippe Diallo had told Le Figaro he already knew the successor’s identity without naming him. Zidane, out of management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, would inherit a golden generation and watch his son Luca feature at this very World Cup. Real Madrid, meanwhile, has reportedly considered Deschamps himself for their bench.
What’s Left: A Bronze Medal Goodbye
France’s consolation prize is Saturday’s third-place match in Miami, Deschamps’ 100-plus-match tenure ending with a shot at bronze before Nations League fixtures resume under new leadership in September.
Whatever Saturday brings, the epitaph is secure: the most consistent era in French football history, authored by the man who won it all twice, in two different jobs.
FAQ
Is Didier Deschamps leaving France?
Yes. He confirmed before the World Cup that he would step down after the tournament; Saturday’s third-place match is his final game in charge.
Who beat France in the semifinal?
Spain, 2-0, on July 14 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, sending La Roja to the July 19 final.
Who will replace Deschamps?
Zinedine Zidane, per ESPN, has a verbal agreement with the French federation, pending final contract details.
What did Deschamps win with France?
The 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League as a coach, plus finals at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup; as a player, he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
What records does he hold?
Most World Cup wins by a coach (20), most knockout wins (10), and membership in the three-man club of World Cup winners as player and manager.
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