France Team Coach Returns Home Temporarily Due to Mother's Death

Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national football team, has temporarily returned to France following the death of his mother. The French Football Federation (FFF) announced that Deschamps was informed of his mother's passing on June 24 and is traveling home to attend the funeral. During Deschamps' absence, head coach Guy Stéphan will take charge of the team. France has already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals from Group I, with two wins. They are scheduled to play Norway, also with two wins, on June 27 to determine the group's top position. Deschamps has a notable record as a coach, having led France to victory in the 1998 World Cup as a player and the 2018 World Cup as manager. He also guided the team to the final of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. France has defeated Senegal and Iraq in the current tournament's group stage, with Deschamps holding a record of 16 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses as a World Cup manager. A victory against Norway would place him among the managers with the most World Cup wins. France is considered one of the favorites to win the tournament.