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France coach Didier Deschamps already has made World Cup history.
He's looking to do it again at the 2026 World Cup.
Deschamps, who has been the France national team coach since 2012, became the second person to win the men's World Cup as both a player and coach (joining Germany's Franz Beckenbauer) when Les Bleus won the tournament in 2018. At the 2026 tournament, he's looking to become just the second coach to win a men's World Cup twice.
It's been a bittersweet World Cup journey for Deschamps, who had to miss the group stage finale against Norway following the death of his mother. Assistant Guy Stephan coached the squad in Deschamps' absence.
On the field, Deschamps' squad is loaded with talent and is a favorite to win the World Cup trophy. Going into the quarterfinals against Morocco, France has outscored its opponents 14-2 during this World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is in the thick of a transcendent Golden Boot race. And Mbappe forms a fearsome attacking quartette alongside 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola.
Deschamps, 57, was born in Bayonne in southwestern France near the France-Spain border. In 1983, Deschamps signed his first professional contract with Ligue 1 (now Ligue 2) club Nantes, which produced other notable players such as Marcel Desailly, Claude Makélélé and Christian Karembeu.
A defensive midfielder, Deschamps played at Nantes from 1985-89 before transferring to Marseille, where he captained a club that became the first French side to win the UEFA Champions League in 1993. In 1994, Deschamps joined Italian club Juventus, with whom he won a second Champions League title (1996) and three Serie A championships (1995, 1997, 1998).
After five seasons at Juventus, Deschamps spent one season (1999-2000) with Chelsea of the Premier League and another (2000-01) at Valencia of La Liga before retiring at the age of 32.
Deschamps was called into the French national team in 1989 and was with the squad during a time when it failed to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. However, a "Golden Generation" of talent was about to break in with Les Bleus, ushering in an unprecedented run of success for the nation.
Deschamps was elevated to team captain in 1996 and was still the team's captain when it won the 1998 World Cup on home soil. By 1998, France was loaded with a who's-who of footballing talent of the time: Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira and Fabien Barthez. France backed up its somewhat unexpected World Cup win by winning Euro 2000.
Between his debut in 1989 and final French team appearance in 2000, Deschamps had 103 caps and scored four goals (when Mbappe plays in France's quarterfinal against Morocco, he will pass Deschamps for ninth on Les Bleus' all-time caps list).
It didn't take long for Deschamps to get his first major coaching gig. In 2001, he became head coach at Monaco in Ligue 1, a club he guided to the UEFA Champions League final in 2004 (they were defeated by Portuguese side Porto). In 2006, Deschamps became coach at scandal-ridden Juventus, where he rescued the club from its banishment to Serie B and got it back into Serie A in 2007. He resigned from Juventus following that season. In 2009, he became coach at French club Marseille, which he led to its first Ligue 1 title in 18 years. After three seasons at Marseille, Deschamps was named coach of the French national team.
In 2016, France hosted the Euros and Deschamps' squad made it to the final, but were defeated in extra time by Portugal. Deschamps' squad would get redemption at the 2018 World Cup, defeating Croatia in the final. At the 2022 World Cup, France again returned to the final, but were defeated in a penalty shootout by Argentina. Now considered among the best national team managers, Deschamps has France in contention for a third World Cup title.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Didier Deschamps? What to know about France coach
Continue reading...
He's looking to do it again at the 2026 World Cup.
Deschamps, who has been the France national team coach since 2012, became the second person to win the men's World Cup as both a player and coach (joining Germany's Franz Beckenbauer) when Les Bleus won the tournament in 2018. At the 2026 tournament, he's looking to become just the second coach to win a men's World Cup twice.
It's been a bittersweet World Cup journey for Deschamps, who had to miss the group stage finale against Norway following the death of his mother. Assistant Guy Stephan coached the squad in Deschamps' absence.
On the field, Deschamps' squad is loaded with talent and is a favorite to win the World Cup trophy. Going into the quarterfinals against Morocco, France has outscored its opponents 14-2 during this World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is in the thick of a transcendent Golden Boot race. And Mbappe forms a fearsome attacking quartette alongside 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola.
Who is Didier Deschamps?
Deschamps, 57, was born in Bayonne in southwestern France near the France-Spain border. In 1983, Deschamps signed his first professional contract with Ligue 1 (now Ligue 2) club Nantes, which produced other notable players such as Marcel Desailly, Claude Makélélé and Christian Karembeu.
Didier Deschamps' club career
A defensive midfielder, Deschamps played at Nantes from 1985-89 before transferring to Marseille, where he captained a club that became the first French side to win the UEFA Champions League in 1993. In 1994, Deschamps joined Italian club Juventus, with whom he won a second Champions League title (1996) and three Serie A championships (1995, 1997, 1998).
After five seasons at Juventus, Deschamps spent one season (1999-2000) with Chelsea of the Premier League and another (2000-01) at Valencia of La Liga before retiring at the age of 32.
Didier Deschamps: Les Bleus captain
Deschamps was called into the French national team in 1989 and was with the squad during a time when it failed to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. However, a "Golden Generation" of talent was about to break in with Les Bleus, ushering in an unprecedented run of success for the nation.
Deschamps was elevated to team captain in 1996 and was still the team's captain when it won the 1998 World Cup on home soil. By 1998, France was loaded with a who's-who of footballing talent of the time: Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira and Fabien Barthez. France backed up its somewhat unexpected World Cup win by winning Euro 2000.
Between his debut in 1989 and final French team appearance in 2000, Deschamps had 103 caps and scored four goals (when Mbappe plays in France's quarterfinal against Morocco, he will pass Deschamps for ninth on Les Bleus' all-time caps list).
Didier Deschamps: The coach
It didn't take long for Deschamps to get his first major coaching gig. In 2001, he became head coach at Monaco in Ligue 1, a club he guided to the UEFA Champions League final in 2004 (they were defeated by Portuguese side Porto). In 2006, Deschamps became coach at scandal-ridden Juventus, where he rescued the club from its banishment to Serie B and got it back into Serie A in 2007. He resigned from Juventus following that season. In 2009, he became coach at French club Marseille, which he led to its first Ligue 1 title in 18 years. After three seasons at Marseille, Deschamps was named coach of the French national team.
In 2016, France hosted the Euros and Deschamps' squad made it to the final, but were defeated in extra time by Portugal. Deschamps' squad would get redemption at the 2018 World Cup, defeating Croatia in the final. At the 2022 World Cup, France again returned to the final, but were defeated in a penalty shootout by Argentina. Now considered among the best national team managers, Deschamps has France in contention for a third World Cup title.
World Cup winning coaches
- 2022 - Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
- 2018 - Didier Deschamps (France)
- 2014 - Joachim Löw (Germany)
- 2010 - Vicente del Bosque (Spain)
- 2006 - Marcello Lippi (Italy)
- 2002 - Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil)
- 1998 - Aimé Jacquet (France)
- 1994 - Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil)
- 1990 - Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
- 1986 - Carlos Bilardo (Argentina)
- 1982 - Enzo Bearzot (Italy)
- 1978 - César Luis Menotti (Argentina)
- 1974 - Helmut Schön (West Germany)
- 1970 - Mário Zagallo (Brazil)
- 1966 - Alf Ramsey (England)
- 1962 - Aymoré Moreira (Brazil)
- 1958 - Vicente Feola (Brazil)
- 1954 - Sepp Herberger (West Germany)
- 1950 - Juan López Fontana (Uruguay)
- 1938 - Vittorio Pozzo (Italy)
- 1934 - Vittorio Pozzo (Italy)
- 1930 - Alberto Suppici (Uruguay)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Didier Deschamps? What to know about France coach
Continue reading...
