On Saturday evening in Miami, Didier Deschamps will take charge of the French national team for the last time. The 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off against England marks the end of a 14-year tenure that has reshaped French football. Although the match is a consolation after a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain, it carries significant weight for both the outgoing coach and his players.
Deschamps, who as a player won the Champions League with Marseille in 1993, the World Cup in 1998, and the European Championship in 2000, has an equally decorated coaching career. He led France to World Cup glory in 2018, the final in 2022, and the Euro 2016 final. His departure leaves a legacy few can match.
Players Determined to Send Deschamps Off with a Win
Despite the disappointment of missing the final, the squad is focused on securing a victory for their coach. Defender Ibrahima Konaté told reporters: “Of course, we want to do it for the coach, given everything he has done for the France team and for each of us, because the players who are here, he chose them and no one else. We have to be at least a little bit grateful to him.”
Several players who have seen limited minutes during the tournament may be given starting roles, offering a glimpse of the future under a new manager. Captain Kylian Mbappé is expected to start, however, as he chases the Golden Boot. The Real Madrid forward has scored eight goals in seven matches, level with Lionel Messi. Messi holds the all-time World Cup scoring record with 21 goals, while Mbappé sits on 20.
The match also offers England a chance to salvage pride after their semi-final loss to Argentina, a game that drew criticism from former US President Donald Trump over Thomas Tuchel’s defensive tactics. Trump Criticizes Tuchel's Defensive Tactics After England's World Cup Semifinal Loss to Argentina.
For France, the third-place play-off is more than a footnote. It is a farewell to a coach who defined an era, and a stage for Mbappé to cement his place among the all-time greats. The result will not erase the semi-final defeat, but it will shape how this generation of players is remembered.
