New Delhi, July 19, 2026
France striker Kylian Mbappe penned an emotional note for coach Didier Deschamps, who is departing after 14 years of exceptional dedication to Les Bleus and French football.
France finished fourth in the FIFA World Cup 2026 after going down 4-6 to England. It marked Deschamps’ farewell as France manager after 14 years in charge. The 57-year-old took over an underachieving side from Laurent Blanc in 2012 and led it to a second crown in 2018.
“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… Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years,” Mbappe shared on X.
“I feel privileged to have been able to stand alongside 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, ” he added.
Under Deschamps’ leadership, for fourteen years, the French national team regained credibility, respect, and affection by remaining at the highest world level, winning the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 Nations League, and reaching several major finals, all while maintaining exceptional consistency.
Captain of the team that won the World Cup in 1998, the European Championship in 2000, and then the World Cup-winning coach twenty years later, Deschamps occupies a unique place in the history of French football.
He nurture the development of numerous international players, united several groups around strong values, and helped strengthen the unique bond between the French people and their national team.(Agency)
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