Didier Deschamps, who led France to victory in the 2018 World Cup, announced on Wednesday that he will step down as head coach following the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to French broadcaster TF1, Deschamps confirmed, “It will be 2026. I have been in this role since 2012, and I plan to stay until the next World Cup.
“He added, “It’s clear in my mind that this chapter will end then. I’ve given my all with the same passion to keep the French team at the highest level, but 2026 feels like the right time.”
Deschamps guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 in Russia and led the team to the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout.
As a player, Deschamps captained the French team to a 1998 World Cup win on home soil, defeating Brazil in the final. At 56, he joins an elite group of only three individuals who have won the World Cup both as a player and a coach. The other two, Mario Zagallo of Brazil and Franz Beckenbauer of Germany, both passed away last year.