Didier Deschamps has successfully led the French national team for more than a decade, since 2012, winning the 2020/21 Nations League and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
He also reached the final of the top tournament in Qatar, but Lionel Messi and Argentina snatched away his dream of a second championship, winning the match on penalties. Looking ahead to a new World Cup, Deschamps reflected on this.
Deschamps and his thoughts ahead of the 2026 World Cup
On December 18, 2022, France lost to Argentina at Lusail Stadium after a 2-2 draw and a penalty shootout that ended 4-2. However, this defeat is a healed wound for the coach, who is already thinking about the next World Cup:
“There is no rematch in soccer. Argentina won and there is nothing we can do about it now. This is a new competition and we are going to try to go as far as possible,” Deschamps told Olé.
Meanwhile, the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada will likely be Didier’s last, as he will be replaced by Zinedine Zidane at the end of the tournament. After the draw on December 5, Kylian Mbappé and company were placed in Group I and will face Senegal, Erling Haaland’s Norway, and the winner of the playoff between Bolivia, Suriname, and Iraq.
Although France is shaping up to be one of the countries that could lift the trophy again, its group has been called one of the most difficult, but Didier remains hopeful:
“France can be a contender. As in every World Cup, there are between six and seven teams that can win, but in the end, only one wins. To be the best, you have to beat all the teams,” he added.
For his part, Messi has not yet confirmed whether or not he will play in his sixth World Cup, but if he does, he will go down in soccer history alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as the only two players to have played in six World Cups. In light of this, Deschamps praised his rivals and stars of the sport, stating:
“They are two players who have marked international soccer for more than 15 years; without a doubt, it is something special for them.”
Meanwhile, the 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19.
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