France head coach Didier Deschamps will bring an end to his remarkable 14-year spell in charge of Les Bleus after Saturday’s FIFA World Cup third-place play-off against England.

The 57-year-old coach had hoped to conclude his tenure by guiding France to a third World Cup title, but their campaign ended in disappointment following a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain in Arlington, Texas.

Despite missing out on another World Cup final, Deschamps reflected positively on his time with the national team.

“I had the privilege of experiencing magical moments and difficult ones. Life goes on, and I know good things are ahead.

Coaching France has been the greatest experience of my career,” he said.

Deschamps will be remembered for leading France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title in Russia, two decades after captaining the country to its first World Cup triumph in 1998. Under his leadership, France also reached the Euro 2016 final and the 2022 World Cup final, while advancing to at least the semi-finals in five of the seven major tournaments he managed.

His final World Cup campaign was also marked by personal tragedy after the death of his mother, forcing him to temporarily leave the team’s camp to attend her funeral.

Reports indicate that former France captain and Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to succeed Deschamps. Zidane, who has been out of coaching since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, has previously described managing the French national team as a lifelong dream.

French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo recently stated that the next coach must be someone capable of leading one of the world’s biggest national teams and earning the support of the entire country.

If appointed, Zidane will inherit one of international football’s strongest squads while facing the challenge of matching the legacy left behind by one of France’s most successful coaches. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.