France captain Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to Didier Deschamps before the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place match between France and England, which will be the coach’s final game in charge, saying, “We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed.”
France’s attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final ended with a 2–0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
In an emotional post on X, Mbappe thanked Deschamps for his 14 years as France coach and expressed regret that the players could not provide a better farewell. He acknowledged Deschamps’ significant role in the team’s revival and expressed gratitude for representing France under his leadership. Mbappe also wished him success in his future endeavours.
He wrote: “Today is your last dance. You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed. Putting words to what you brought over 14 years is very difficult, so major an actor were you in the revival of this team. People haven’t always known how to appreciate your greatness, but time and history will take care of that.”
Mbappe continued: “Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years. I feel privileged to have been able to stand beside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I hold only excellent memories of everything we lived through and accomplished together. I wish you the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you brought to this jersey that means so much to us.”
Didier Deschamps, who became France coach in 2012, led the team to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and to the final in 2022 before their 2026 campaign concluded with the semi-final defeat against Spain.
Comments are closed.