Didier Deschamps brings the curtain down on a remarkable 14-year reign as France coach on Saturday when Les Bleus face England in the World Cup third-place playoff. The 57-year-old had hoped to sign off with a third World Cup triumph, but a painful 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain in Arlington, Texas, dashed those hopes.

Deschamps, who captained France to their first World Cup in 1998 and coached them to glory in 2018, is not expecting an emotional farewell. “I had the privilege of experiencing magical moments and difficult ones,” he said. “But life goes on. I’m a positive person, and I know things will be good.”

Under Deschamps, France reached at least the semifinals in five of seven major tournaments. He transformed the team after the disastrous 2010 World Cup, leading them to victory in Russia in 2018 and launching Kylian Mbappe to stardom. However, there were also bitter disappointments, including losses in the Euro 2016 final and the 2022 World Cup final.

Deschamps reinvented France’s style in the past year, moving to a more attacking approach. But he may regret not being more cautious against Spain. His World Cup was also overshadowed by the death of his mother, which forced him to miss one match.

The England match will be Deschamps’ 27th World Cup game as coach, a record. After that, Zinedine Zidane, his former teammate and one of France’s greatest players, is widely expected to take over. Zidane has previously admitted it is his “dream” to manage France, and French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo has hinted at the appointment, saying the next coach must “tick every box and get everyone behind them.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com