Didier Deschamps brought the curtain down on his 14-year reign as France head coach on Saturday, describing his time with the national team as a “truly wonderful adventure” despite a disappointing end to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The 57-year-old leaves as one of the most successful coaches in French football history, having guided Les Bleus to World Cup glory in Russia in 2018 and becoming one of only three men to win the tournament as both a player and a coach.
France also reached the final in Qatar four years later before losing to Argentina on penalties.
Although France made an impressive start to the 2026 World Cup in North America, their hopes of lifting a second title under Deschamps ended with a 2-0 semi-final defeat by Spain.
They then suffered another setback in Saturday’s third-place play-off, losing 6-4 to England after trailing 4-0 at half-time in a remarkable contest.
Reflecting on his final tournament in charge, Deschamps said the experience with his players and staff would remain one of his fondest memories.
“On a human level, it was a truly wonderful adventure with them,” he said.
“The eight weeks we’ve spent together since the start of the preparations were beautiful.”
While admitting there was disappointment at failing to achieve their ultimate objective, Deschamps praised his squad for their efforts throughout the tournament.
“On a sporting level, there is disappointment because we set out with a great deal of ambition,” he said.
“We managed to do quite a lot of positive things. We failed in our match against Spain, and they were able to perform at a very high level against us.”
Deschamps now prepares to hand over the reins after more than a decade in charge, with French football great Zinedine Zidane widely expected to succeed him.
Despite the disappointing finish to his tenure, Deschamps expressed confidence that France will remain among the world’s leading football nations.
“There are quite a few young players who will continue to develop, and there’s the talent to keep achieving very good results,” he said.
Deschamps departs having restored France to the summit of world football, leaving behind a legacy that includes a World Cup triumph, another appearance in the final and a new generation of talented players poised to build on his success.