7M - Didier Deschamps Ends Historic 14-Year Tenure With France

An extraordinary chapter in international soccer is concluding. Following a 14-year tenure, manager Didier Deschamps will guide France for the final time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off. His departure marks the completion of a highly decorated period that cemented Les Bleus as a premier global power.

Deschamps leaves a historic legacy. Taking over in 2012 to rebuild the squad following a turbulent 2010 World Cup, he achieved a remarkable managerial record. Across 181 games, he collected 118 victories, 35 draws, and 28 losses. Under his guidance, France secured the 2018 World Cup title, finished as runners-up in 2022, won the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League, placed third in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, and finished second at UEFA Euro 2016. He holds the record for the most games managed in French national team history.

His historic achievements place him alongside France's other iconic managers:

Aime Jacquet: Rebuilt the team in the 1990s, securing 34 wins, 16 draws, and 3 losses in 53 matches. He famously guided a legendary squad to France's first World Cup title in 1998.

Roger Lemerre: Inherited Jacquet's generation and won UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He recorded 34 victories, 11 draws, and 8 defeats over 53 matches before stepping down after a group-stage exit at the 2002 World Cup.

Deschamps, who captained Jacquet's 1998 champions, built his own golden generation centered around Kylian Mbappe, alongside stalwarts like Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. He instilled a fierce competitive identity, epitomized by France's dramatic comeback against Argentina in the 2022 final. With Zinedine Zidane expected to take the reins next, Deschamps finishes his tenure as the longest-serving manager in French history, having kept the nation at the absolute pinnacle of world soccer for over a decade.