End of an era: Deschamps' France exit World Cup with a whimper

Didier Deschamps' long and storied career as France manager is set to end not with a triumphant third World Cup title, but with the third-place playoff match following a disappointing semi-final exit. France's dreams of a third World Cup were dashed in a 2-0 defeat to Spain, a stark contrast to their impressive attacking displays throughout the tournament. In the semi-final, France managed only 10 shots, their lowest total in the World Cup, with an expected goals figure of just 0.3, failing to live up to their pre-match favorite status.

Former France midfielder Patrick Vieira expressed his disappointment, telling ITV, "They haven't shown up. I was expecting more. There was big expectation for France to win the World Cup. France will all be disappointed by the result and the performance. All our top players went missing. Collectively we were really bad." This sentiment reflects a collective failure, with key players like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise unable to inspire the team to victory.

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They haven't shown up. I was expecting more. There was big expectation for France to win the World Cup. France will all be disappointed by the result and the performance. All our top players went missing. Collectively we were really bad.

Deschamps, who has been in charge since 2012, will depart in January 2025 after this summer's tournament, having set a record for most World Cup games managed with 26. His tenure has been remarkable, making him one of only three individuals to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager, alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer. He led the national team for 14 years, winning 20 of his 26 World Cup games and losing only three.

"It's not time to talk about the future," Deschamps stated in his post-match news conference. "It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final. I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we've done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup - to take the French team to the highest level." Despite the disappointment of the semi-final loss, Deschamps reflected on his successful tenure, acknowledging the happy moments and the privilege of managing the French national team.

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It's not time to talk about the future. It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final. I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we've done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup - to take the French team to the highest level.