France head coach Didier Deschamps will miss his side’s final FIFA World Cup group-stage match after the death of his mother.
The development was first reported by football journalist Fabrizio Romano, with the French Football Federation later confirming that Deschamps would return to France to be with his family and attend the funeral.
Deschamps will therefore not be on the bench when France face Norway in their final Group I fixture of the tournament. Assistant coach Guy Stéphan is expected to oversee preparations and lead the team in his absence.
The news has brought an emotional moment to the French camp despite the team’s strong World Cup campaign so far. France have already secured qualification for the knockout stage after victories over Senegal and Iraq, but attention has now shifted beyond football as players and staff rally around their manager.
Deschamps, one of France’s most successful football figures, guided the country to World Cup glory in 2018 and remains a respected leader within international football.
Messages of support and condolences have continued to pour in from across the football community as Deschamps spends time with his family during this difficult period.
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