This Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Didier Deschamps announced: he will leave his position as coach of the French football team in 2026, after the World Cup. This will mark the end of a 14-year reign, marked by brilliant journeys.
This time it’s official: Didier Deschamps will indeed pass the keys to the French football team, at the end of the 2026 World Cup. He officially announced it this Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The end of a reign marked by great successes.
The return to the forefront
When DD takes control of the Blues, he succeeds Laurent Blanc, himself arrived after Raymond Domenech. “The President” only stayed two years at the head of the French team (2010-2012), and therefore passes the baton to the one with whom he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. While the national team remains on two eliminations in the first round (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010) and a route without relief at the Euro 2012, Didier Deschamps must restore the image of his country.
What he does on the occasion of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Four years after the trauma of Knysna, France reached the quarterfinals and lost with honors against Germany (0-1), who would then climb to the roof of the planet. Two years later, at home, the Blues lose in the final of their Euro against Portugal, overtime. A cruel fate but also a symbol of a selection that has returned to the forefront.
The triumphs
And this symbol will find a superb echo in 2018, when Didier Deschamps and his protégés take the cup home. 20 years after the first world champion star won as captain, the Basque takes the second, this time on the bench. The rooster is on the rise: if Euro 2021 ends abruptly with elimination in the round of 16 against Switzerlandthe Blues rectify the situation a few months later, by winning the League of Nations to the detriment of Belgium (3-2) and Spain (2-1).
On the verge of a monumental feat
Didier Deschamps, who can count on Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, Aurélien Tchouaméni or even Olivier Giroud without forgetting Hugo Lloris and Théo Hernandez, arrives with the costume reigning world champion in Qatar, in 2022. A competition that France ends on the verge of the coronationafter a legendary final but with a terrible outcome against Argentina: as in 2006, the penalty shootout was fatal.
Since then, the Blues have been looking for each other: absent from Final Four of the League of Nations in 2023, they went to Euro 2024 semi-final without convincing their supporters during this epic in Germany. Case management Mbappé, absent from the last gatherings and Griezmann, recently retired with his country, was also pointed out. But Deschamps will go until 2026. “It has to stop at some point,” he explained.
What history?
Since 2012, Didier Deschamps has therefore won two trophies in four finals played. Here is a reminder of his different journeys:
- 2014 World Cup: quarter-final (beaten by Germany)
- Euro 2016: final (beaten by Portugal)
- 2018 World Cup: champion
- Nations League 2019: first round
- Euro 2021: round of 16 (beaten by Switzerland)
- Nations League 2021: champion
- 2022 World Cup: final (beaten by Argentina)
- Nations League 2023: first round
- Euro 2024: semi-final (beaten by Spain)
There are therefore two deadlines left for “DD” before handing over the baton. First of all, the League of Nationswith a quarter-final against Croatia next March. And finally, the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, whose qualifications will also start this year.
