📅 July 18, 2026
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👤 Ibrahim IBK
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📁 FIFA WORLD CUP
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🕑 2 min read
Kylian Mbappé has paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps before the coach’s final match with the French national team. France will face England this Saturday evening in the third-place match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Spain defeated Les Bleus 2-0 in the semi-finals.
The French captain thanked the man who launched his international career and guided the team through one of its most successful periods.
Deschamps will leave the French bench after 14 years in charge of Les Bleus. He arrived in 2012 and transformed the national team, leading France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2021 Nations League trophy, the Euro 2016 final, the 2022 World Cup final, the Euro 2024 semi-finals and another semi-final appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With almost 200 matches as France coach, he will leave behind one of the greatest legacies in the history of French football before Zinédine Zidane takes over.
Mbappé shared his tribute on social media and praised Deschamps for his influence on his career and French football. “Today is your last dance. You gave us so much. We should have given you a better send-off, but we failed,” wrote the France captain. He also thanked the coach for giving him the opportunity to represent his country at the highest level and highlighted the memories they created together. Against England, Deschamps will lead France for the final time as Les Bleus aim to end his era with a podium finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
