Didier Deschamps is back. The French national team coach returned to the squad’s World Cup camp on Friday, just days after flying home for his mother’s funeral. He missed the team’s final group stage match against Norway, but the French Football Federation confirmed he’s now with the group in time for the knockout rounds.
The timing was about as clean as it could get under the circumstances. France had already locked up first place in Group I before Deschamps left, thanks to wins over Senegal and Iraq. So when assistant coach Guy Stephan took the reins on the sideline Thursday, the stakes were low. France still thumped Norway 4-1, with Ousmane Dembele scoring three goals in a game that mostly served as a tune-up for the round of 16.
The FFF put out a simple post on social media to announce the news: “Didier is with us.” No press conference. No grand statement. Just that.
A Manager in Transition
This World Cup is Deschamps’ last run with France. He’s stepping down after the tournament, ending a 14-year tenure that’s been remarkably successful by nearly any standard. He took over in 2012 and has since guided Les Bleus to three major finals: the Euro 2016 final (lost to Portugal in extra time), the 2018 World Cup final (won against Croatia), and the 2022 World Cup final (lost to Argentina on penalties). That’s a heavy resume for any international manager, especially one who also captained the 1998 World Cup-winning team on home soil.
Deschamps has never been the flashiest tactician, but his teams have a reputation for grinding out results. France weren’t always pretty in Russia in 2018, but they won. They came within a penalty shootout of repeating in Qatar four years later. Now they’re chasing a third star, and the early signs are good — three wins, nine goals scored, two conceded. Solid enough.
What’s Next for France
The knockout bracket hasn’t fully taken shape yet, but France will be favored to reach the quarterfinals no matter who they draw. Deschamps’ return gives the squad its full leadership back, and there’s no indication the brief absence disrupted anything. Guy Stephan handled the Norway game without incident, and the players looked sharp.
If there’s a subplot worth watching, it’s how Deschamps manages the emotional weight of losing his mother during a World Cup. He’s always been a stoic presence on the sideline, rarely letting much show. But this is different. The team has rallied around him, and the players have talked privately about wanting to win one for the boss. That kind of motivation can be real or it can be a sports movie cliché. We’ll find out which one it is in the next couple weeks.
For now, France waits. Deschamps is back. The tournament moves forward.
Leave a Comment