Sad ending

57-year-old Deschamps, who became world champion as a player in 1998 and as a coach in 2018, will not be able to achieve a third title after losing to Spain 0:2 in the semi-final held on Tuesday. France, having a reputation as the tournament favorite, failed to show their best qualities, making only 10 shots on goal, which is their lowest figure in World Cups. Expected goals were only 0.3, which clearly does not match the team's ambitions.

Patrick Vieira, former national team player, noted on ITV: “They did not show themselves. I expected more. There were high expectations for France in this World Cup. All our best players disappeared. As a team, we were really poor.”

Records and achievements

Despite the disappointment, Deschamps set a record for the number of matches played in World Cups — 26. Previously, he shared this achievement with former West Germany coach Helmut Schön. Deschamps has been in charge of the national team since 2012 and has won 20 out of 26 World Cup matches, suffering only three defeats, including the recent one against Spain.

In his post-match interview, Deschamps said: “It’s not the time to talk about the future. On a personal level, it doesn’t matter whether I leave the tournament in the semi-finals or the finals. I am extremely happy. I am proud of everything we have done to reach this stage and win the World Cup — to elevate the French team to the highest level.”

Deschamps' legacy

Deschamps has become one of three people to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach, alongside Brazil's Mario Zagallo and West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer. His long tenure as coach is also a rarity in modern football — he has led the national team for 14 years.

Gaël Clichy, former national team defender, noted: “His legacy is that he lifted a team that was below standard and managed to bring it back to the top. What he has done for French football as a player and coach is fantastic.”

Looking to the future

After the World Cup, Deschamps' likely successor could be his former teammate Zinedine Zidane. According to ESPN, a verbal agreement was already reached in March that Zidane would take this position this summer.

Clichy added: “Whoever comes after Deschamps will have a tough time. It will be a challenging task.”

Thus, Didier Deschamps ends his career with a bitter aftertaste, but his achievements and contributions to the history of French football will remain in the memory of fans forever.