Didier Deschamps has announced that he will leave his position as France head coach after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Deschamps, 56, has been in charge of Les Bleus since 2012, making him the country’s longest-serving coach.
Under his leadership, France has enjoyed significant success, including winning the 2018 World Cup in Russia and reaching the final of the 2022 tournament in Qatar and Euro 2016 on home soil.
“In 2026 it will be over. In my head it’s very clear,” Deschamps told French broadcaster TF1.
“I’ve done my time, with the same desire and passion to maintain France at the highest level.
“One has to be able to say stop, there’s a life after this. The most important is for France to stay at the top as they have been for many years.”
Deschamps’ decision to step down marks the end of an era for French football. He is one of only three men, along with Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, to have won the World Cup as both a player and a manager, having captained France to victory in 1998.
In 2016 he led the team to the final of their home European Championship, but they were beaten by Portugal after extra time.
He finally led France to glory as they lifted the World Cup for a second time in the 2018 edition in Russia.
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