A significant chapter in French football is about to close as Didier Deschamps, the coach of the men’s national team since 2014, confirmed, on January 8 during an interview with TF1, that he will not extend his tenure with the Blues after the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11 to July 19, 2026). The former midfielder will leave a lasting legacy and a host of records.
With 165 matches at the head of the Blues, Didier Deschamps is already the most capped coach in France, well ahead of Raymond Domenech, who managed 79 matches between 2004 and 2010, and Michel Hidalgo with 75 matches between 1976 and 1984. At the level international, the native of Bayonne has also made his mark, currently occupying third place among the coaches who have managed the most matches, behind Joachim Löw (Germany) and Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), who respectively managed their national teams for 198 and 184 matches between 2006 and 2021. With the UEFA Nations League, the qualifications for the 2026 World Cup and its final phase which are waiting for him, the Frenchman has the opportunity to get closer to these records.
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During his decade of reign, Deschamps built up an impressive track record. In addition to winning the World Cup in 2018 and the Nations League in 2021, he led France to the final of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. In major competitions (Euros and World Cups), he ranks as the second most successful French coach with a win rate of 61.1%, behind Aimé Jacquet (66.7%). This statistic could further improve depending on France’s performance during the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Before that, Deschamps will have the chance to win a third title in the Nations League, with the Blues competing against Croatia in the quarter-finals on March 20 and 23.
More specifically, the former Marseille coach has an excellent record, with 105 victories, 34 draws and 26 defeats. However, compared to his predecessors, the Basque is not at the top in terms of victories. With a success rate of 63.6%, he occupies fourth place, behind leader Jacques Santini, who has an impressive 79.6%, but over a significantly lower number of matches (22 victories in 28 matches between 2002 and 2004 ).
Often perceived as a coach who offers few opportunities to new players, Deschamps is in reality the only manager to have used more than 100 players (115). Among them, 80 received their first chance thanks to the former Juventus player. Notably, it was during his era that Warren Zaire-Emery was called up to the national team for the first time at just 17 years and 255 days old, making him the youngest French international of all time.
However, Didier Deschamps has often relied on a core of players. Antoine Griezmann, often considered the coach’s favorite, who ended his international career on September 30, 2024, is the most used player under Deschamps, with 137 caps, followed by Olivier Giroud (128) and Hugo Lloris (108).
