Why Didier Deschamps has decided to announce he’ll step down as France manager | OneFootball

Didier Deschamps will announce on Wednesday he’ll step down as France manager after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to reports tonight from L’Equipe and other major national outlets. The 56-year-old manager’s contract as Les Bleus expires next year, at the end of the tournament set to be held in USA, Canada and Mexico. Deschamps’ exit in 2026 means his tenure as Les Bleus boss will span fourteen years.

Deschamps signed a controversial three-and-a-half year renewal in the aftermath of France’s defeat to penalties against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final and the France boss was reportedly adamant then that he would not extend his stay further past 2026, according to Le Parisien. Deschamps never really entertained the idea, as he told TF1 after the Euro 2024 that he had no intention of carrying on as France manager for the sake of it. It appears Deschamps has not changed his mind since. L’Equipe adds that Deschamps wants to finish on a high to give his successor a France squad in a new cycle and a different dynamic.

Le Parisien adds that Deschamps’ backroom staff members were in the know of his decision to step down. French FA president Philippe Diallo has been informed of it before the holiday season. Deschamps planned on revealing his decision several months before France’s next games in March so that no questions or doubts surrounding his future could be asked. In clearing the air early on, Deschamps will remove a burden on his players’ shoulders as well as on his, for the attention of everyone to be focused on sporting matters.

The latter are numerous. France will face Croatia in the Nations League’s quarterfinals. Should they defeat the Vatreni, Deschamps’ France will qualify for the competition’s Final Four and get a chance to win the Nations League for a second time after 2021. Then, France will kick on their World Cup qualifiers. From now on, talks in France will revolve around Deschamps’ successor with Zinedine Zidane a logical candidate to take over, although the Real Madrid legend is reportedly not making coaching France an obsession.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval