Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France head coach has come to a close, and it ended the way this World Cup often does, in chaos. Les Bleus went down 6-4 to England in Saturday's third-place playoff at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo used the aftermath to publicly thank the outgoing coach, his players and the fans who followed the team through the tournament.
Diallo's Message On X
Minutes after the final whistle, Diallo posted a tribute on X aimed at everyone connected with the campaign. He acknowledged that the run had finished in fourth place after what he called an intense World Cup, and congratulated England, referring to them by their nickname, the Three Lions. He then turned his attention to the dressing room. "I want to salute our players, Didier Deschamps, and the entire staff, who have carried our colours with honour and given their very best," Diallo wrote. He also had a message for supporters, thanking fans in France and abroad for travelling with the team through every stage of the tournament and describing their passion, loyalty and fervour as a source of strength for the squad.
A Coaching Reign That Reshaped French Football
The loss to England did more than end this tournament for France, it closed out Deschamps' entire spell in charge of the national team. He had taken over as head coach in 2012, and over the years that followed, the former France captain built Les Bleus into one of the most consistent teams in world football. Under him, France won the 2018 FIFA World Cup, reached the final of the 2022 World Cup, and lifted the UEFA Nations League title in 2021. Diallo described the defeat as the closing of a major chapter in the history of the French national team. He said that for 14 years, Deschamps had shaped the Bleus with rigour, humility and a winning culture he called a lasting benchmark, crediting him with developing numerous international players, uniting different generations of the squad around shared values, and deepening the bond between the French public and its national team.
Seven Competitions, Three Finals
Diallo also spelled out the scale of what Deschamps had achieved across his tenure: seven major competitions, three finals, the World Championship in 2018 and the Nations League title in 2021. He said that record, taken together, left France firmly established among the greatest footballing nations on the planet. Closing his tribute on behalf of the FFF and France's supporters, Diallo said Deschamps' imprint would remain permanently etched in the history of the France team.
A Wild Farewell Scoreline
Deschamps' last match in the France dugout turned into one of the most dramatic games of the tournament. England came out fast and led 4-0 at half-time, with Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa scoring either side of a Bukayo Saka brace. France responded after the interval with a real fightback, as Kylian Mbappe scored twice and both Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele also got on the scoresheet, pulling the French back into the contest. But England had the final say. Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, and Jude Bellingham put the game out of reach in stoppage time, sealing a 6-4 win for England.
Mbappe Bows Out As The Tournament's Record Scorer
Even on a night France ended up on the losing side, Mbappe finished the tournament on a historic note. His brace against England took his tally for the 2026 World Cup to 10 goals, moving him ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Those two goals also lifted his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals in just 22 appearances, making him the competition's all-time leading goalscorer and pushing him past Messi's previous mark of 21.
