Didier Deschamps will leave his role as coach of the France team at the end of his contract, after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He confirmed it, Wednesday January 8, in an interview with TF1. Appointed in 2012, Didier Deschamps has already played 160 matches as coach of the Blues, with 102 victories, 25 defeats and 33 draws. Among these meetings, five remain particularly notable.
► France-Ukraine 2013: a founding match
A year after his arrival at the head of the France team, Didier Deschamps takes on his first challenge: qualifying the Blues for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and reconnecting with the public. The Knysna strike during the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 broke the link with the supporters.
On November 19, 70,000 people filled the stands of the Stade de France for the decisive match between the French team and Ukraine. A week earlier, Didier Deschamps’ players had lost the first leg 2-0. The equation is simple: either they win with a three-goal margin, or they will not see Brazil.
Twenty minutes before the end, with the third goal of the Blues, Mamadou Sakho comes to liberate an entire stadium, which has gone crazy (3-0). First successful challenge for the coach.
► France-Portugal 2016: a taste of unfinished business
In the summer of 2016, the European Football Championship takes place in France. The idea of winning a first title since the Euro in 2000, when he was still a player, is running through Didier Deschamps’ head. And he doesn’t go far. Its players overcome obstacles one by one, including Germany, then the reigning world champion, to reach the final against Portugal.
During the match, neither team scored. The title is decided in extra time where Portugal finally scores. Despite the defeat, this match launched the Blues towards their next goal: the 2018 World Cup.
► France-Argentina 2018: the crazy race towards the second star
The final against Croatia, during the World Cup in Russia, is the culmination of the quest for the second star of the Blues. But she started in the round of 16, against Argentina. Benjamin Pavard’s now legendary strike and Kylian Mbappé’s double allowed the French team to overturn a match then to the advantage of the Argentines (4-3).
Five years after this victory, Didier Deschamps confided, in an interview with the French Football Federation, that “the match against Argentina turned the team in the right direction. He confirmed to us that we were capable of very hurting our opponents.”
► France-Argentina 2022: so close to third
Didier Deschamps’ French team once again reached the final at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. She then finds Lionel Messi’s Argentina. For 75 minutes, the Blues couldn’t do it and conceded two goals.
The match seems folded. However, Kylian Mbappé revived it by scoring a double. Lionel Messi scored Argentina’s third goal. Kylian Mbappé responded to him once again. The Blues finally lost on penalties and saw their dream of a third star disappear.
► France-Spain 2024: criticism before a new lease of life?
Boring Blues, a game not spectacular enough, choices of players and tactics not strong enough… Criticism of Didier Deschamps abounds during Euro 2024. Despite his progress to the semi-final against Spain (2-1), the French team showed a sad face throughout the competition with only four goals scored in six matches.
However, Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation, then decided to keep him at the head of the Blues until 2026. After the departure of several executives, including Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud, Didier Deschamps brought in a little new blood in the team during the first meetings of the year. A way to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, for which the Blues are not yet qualified.
