The news that shook the soccer world this Wednesday couldn't be more impactful: Didier Deschamps, the coach who defined an era for the French national team, has decided to step down after the World Cup 2026. According to the renowned French newspaper L'Équipe, Deschamps will not renew his contract, marking the end of a 14-year tenure with Les Bleus.
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A golden and undeniable legacy
Now 56, Deschamps has been in charge of the French national team since 2012, taking over from Laurent Blanc, and has since built a legacy that few coaches in the history of football can boast. Deschamps led France to ultimate glory with the World Cup 2018 in Russia, crowning the generation of disciplined and talented players. If that wasn't enough, he took the team to the final of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, proving the consistency and competitiveness of the squad under his leadership.
Not only that, under Deschamps, France won the UEFA Nations League in 2020/21, adding one more title to an already full trophy case of the French soccer federation. In the Euros, even with the bitterness of that runner-up finish against Portugal in 2016, the coach showed resilience and the ability to adapt, maintaining France among the best in international soccer.
Leader on and off the pitch
It would not be any hyperbole to say that Deschamps gave his life to the French national team. He captained them as a player when they won the 1998 World Cup on home soil with a historic victory over Brazil. This achievement places him in the very elite club of football legends, as he joined other greats such as Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer as the only three players to ever lift the World Cup both as a player and as a coach. Incredibly, he along with Beckenbauer achieved that distinction capturing the trophy as captains of their national teams.
Coming challenges and outstanding issues
There are many questions coming as a result of the announced plan to retire after the World Cup 2026. Or does he know his time with the French national team has simply reached its full course? Whatever the case may be, one last mission still awaits him: to ensure that France qualifies for the World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Qualifiers in Europe start in March 2025, and until then, there's plenty of work to be done.
France also face a crucial clash with Croatia in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League, the result of which will determine their group placement in the qualifiers: Group D if they win, or Group L if they lose. That means Deschamps still has the chance to add another chapter to his glorious career before he goes.