Deschamps: I will become a 'silent supporter' of France

Speaking at a press conference after the third-place playoff match of the 2026 World Cup in North America, Deschamps expressed regret over an “unacceptable first half” as Les Bleus trailed 4-0 before ultimately losing 6-4 to England.

Deschamps said, “I did not do what should have been done in the first half,” noting that he made four substitutions at halftime.

Before handing over the reins to his likely successor, Zinedine Zidane, he emphasized the “football quality” of his squad. He added, “There are quite a few young players who will continue to progress, and the necessary foundations are already in place to keep achieving very good results.”

Deschamps stated that he was putting an end to “something that was as beautiful as it gets, which began in 2012 with the French national team above all else, because no matter how many top clubs I have managed, nothing, absolutely nothing surpasses the French national team.”

French President Emmanuel Macron thanked his national team coach, Didier Deschamps, “who made France tremble with excitement,” in a message posted on the X platform ahead of the third-place World Cup match against England.

Macron wrote, “This evening, a page turns in the history of French football. Thank you, Didier Deschamps, for the legendary victories, for the powerful emotions, and for your long leadership of our national team, making France tremble with excitement. Fourteen years: it is the Deschamps generation.”