According to an announcement from the French Football Federation (FFF), Mr. Deschamps' mother passed away on June 23. Immediately after receiving the sad news, the 57-year-old strategist returned to France to be with his family and attend the funeral.
Deschamps' absence prevents him from directly directing the French national team in the last group stage match of the 2026 World Cup against Norway. During this time, assistant Guy Stephan will take on the coaching and operation of the team on his behalf.
The incident occurred in the context that the French team is having a favorable start at the 2026 World Cup. The blue shirt team won all 6 points after the first two matches in Group I. In the opening match, France defeated Senegal with a score of 3-1 before defeating Iraq 3-0 to soon take an advantage in the race for a ticket to the next round.
The match against Iraq was also interrupted for nearly two hours during the half-time break due to unfavorable weather conditions. However, Deschamps' students still maintained the game and completed a convincing victory.
The confrontation with Norway in the final round is of great significance as both teams have 6 points. The match result will determine the top spot in Group I and significantly affect France's journey in the knockout round.
Didier Deschamps has led the French national team since 2012 and is one of the most successful coaches in the history of French football. As a player, he once won the 1998 World Cup and EURO 2000 with the French national team. When switching to coaching, Deschamps helped "Les Bleus" win the 2018 World Cup and win the 2022 World Cup runner-up title.
