Didier Deschamps’ historic reign with France will be formally consigned to the past on Tuesday, but the 57-year-old has no intention of disappearing from football.
The French Football Federation will present the country’s new head coach at its Paris headquarters at 11.00 CEST, following an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee.
The federation has not named the incoming coach in its official announcement, although Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to be unveiled as Deschamps’ successor.
According to the FFF’s official announcement of Tuesday’s press conference, president Philippe Diallo will introduce the new coach immediately after the executive committee meeting. The event will also be broadcast live through the federation’s official channels.
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For France, it represents the beginning of a long-awaited new era.
For Deschamps, the more intriguing question is what comes next.
Deschamps insists he is not finished
Deschamps is currently without a job for the first time since taking control of France in the summer of 2012.
However, he has firmly rejected any suggestion that the conclusion of his international reign will also mark the end of his coaching career.
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“Do not talk to me about retirement,” Deschamps said in an interview with Le Figaro, as quoted by AS in its report on his future.
Deschamps said he still needs the adrenaline provided by elite management and intends to continue for as long as he feels capable of meeting its demands.
He has not selected his next destination and intends to take a period of rest before making a final decision.
“I am not closing any doors,” he added.
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That represents a significant change in his thinking. During much of his time with France, Deschamps had appeared reluctant to imagine himself managing another national team.
He is now prepared to examine both club and international opportunities.
Spain emerges among possible destinations
Deschamps retains a preference for working in France, Italy or Spain should he return to club management.
The Spanish possibility gives the story an added dimension on the day Zidane, the former Real Madrid coach, is expected to inherit the position Deschamps occupied for 14 years.
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No Spanish club is currently known to have opened negotiations with Deschamps, and most major European teams have already begun preseason preparations under established coaches.
His interest should therefore be viewed as an indication of the markets he considers attractive rather than evidence of an imminent appointment.
Deschamps previously managed Monaco, Juventus and Marseille before accepting the France job. His most recent club role ended when he left Marseille in 2012.
He guided Monaco to the Champions League final in 2004, won promotion to Serie A with Juventus and delivered six trophies during his three seasons in Marseille.
Saudi Arabia remains a credible option
A move outside Europe is also possible.
Deschamps has reportedly considered Saudi Arabia a realistic destination, either with a leading Saudi Pro League club or in another international role.
He received financially significant approaches from abroad during his France tenure, including an offer from China, but rejected them because he remained committed to the national team.
There is no confirmed Saudi offer currently on the table. Deschamps’ willingness to consider the country nevertheless places him among the most decorated coaches potentially available to clubs and federations in the region.
His situation differs from that of several high-profile managers who moved abroad after their opportunities at Europe’s largest clubs had diminished.
Deschamps is leaving France after another World Cup semifinal and remains one of the most successful international coaches of the modern era.
No grand farewell before the handover
Tuesday’s event will focus on the incoming coach rather than the man he replaces.
The FFF reportedly considered arranging a more formal tribute to Deschamps, but the outgoing coach did not pursue the proposal. He instead sent a private message of thanks to employees at the federation.
As reported by Europe 1 ahead of the official handover, Deschamps is not expected to share the stage with his successor when the new regime is presented.
That should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a personal conflict with Zidane.
Deschamps avoided publicly naming his expected successor before the federation had completed the official appointment. The two men won the 1998 World Cup together and are understood to retain mutual respect, although they have never been considered particularly close.
Their contrasting personalities have also shaped the public discussion surrounding the transition.
Zidane has been viewed for years as the glamorous successor waiting for the position. Deschamps, meanwhile, repeatedly faced demands to step aside despite continuing to take France deep into major tournaments.
‘Stifling atmosphere’ pushed him towards exit
Deschamps had already decided before the World Cup that the tournament would be his last with France.
After his final match, he revealed that the pressure and criticism surrounding his position had become an important factor in that decision.
Deschamps said the environment around him had become “so stifling” that leaving was ultimately in the national team’s best interests.
According to Le Parisien’s account of his farewell interview, he believed the atmosphere improved after he announced that he would step down following the tournament.
His comments appeared to be directed at the wider media and public climate rather than at one particular individual.
Deschamps had faced persistent criticism over France’s style of play, squad selections and the perception that Zidane had been kept waiting for too long.
Even reaching another World Cup semifinal was not enough to silence that debate.
Historic reign ends after 185 matches
Deschamps leaves France with a record that will be extremely difficult for his successor to match.
He led the national team in 185 matches, winning 120, drawing 35 and losing 30. France won the 2018 World Cup, reached the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup, and lifted the Nations League in 2021.
The team also reached the semifinals at each of the last three World Cups.
According to the FFF’s statistical review of Deschamps’ reign, only Joachim Löw has managed more matches and secured more victories with the same European national team.
Deschamps also became the first coach to reach three consecutive World Cup semifinals and recorded 19 victories across 26 matches in the competition.
His final appearance ended in disappointment as France lost 6-4 to England in the third-place play-off, having trailed 4-0 during a disastrous first half.
It was an uncharacteristically chaotic conclusion to an era primarily defined by control, defensive discipline and tournament consistency.
Staff deliver emotional farewell
Deschamps’ closest colleagues have already published their own tribute.
Members of his long-serving staff described the difficulty of saying goodbye after 14 years together and thanked him for the trust and responsibility he had given them.
As detailed in La Dépêche’s report on the farewell letter, the staff said their shared experiences had created a connection that would remain for life.
Several members of the old structure are expected to leave as the new coach forms his own technical team.
That adds to the sense that Tuesday’s presentation will not merely involve replacing one manager. It will mark a substantial reconstruction of the entire French setup.
France moves on but Deschamps waits
All attention in Paris will now turn towards the new coach, his staff and the first decisions of the post-Deschamps era.
The former captain is unlikely to announce his next move immediately.
He has earned the freedom to wait, assess the available projects and decide whether his future lies with a European club, another national side or a lucrative position outside the continent.
Deschamps may no longer control France’s future.
He remains determined to control his own.
