Deschamps Returns to France Camp

France coach Didier Deschamps has rejoined the World Cup squad following his mother's funeral and delivered an emotional address to the players ahead of their knockout stage opener against Sweden on Tuesday.

“The first competition is over. But there's a second one. For those of you who have already played in a World Cup, everything changes there. It's the same tournament, but it's truly different. Every match could be your last,” Deschamps stated in a video posted on the team's Instagram account.

Led by captain Kylian Mbappé and other star players, Les Bleus won all three of their group stage matches and are considered strong contenders for the title. The 57-year-old Deschamps missed the final group stage game against Norway on Friday due to his mother's passing. The team secured a 4-1 victory under assistant coach Guy Stéphan and are favorites against Sweden, before a potential clash with Germany in the quarterfinals.

This tournament marks Deschamps' last, as he is set to step down after 14 years at the helm, with Zinedine Zidane widely expected to succeed him. He guided the French national team to the title in 2018 and to the final in 2022, where they lost to Argentina on penalties. The two sides could meet again in the final on July 19 in New Jersey, and a third title would be a fitting farewell for Deschamps, who captained the team to their first trophy in 1998.

Deschamps likened the pursuit of the title to climbing a mountain, where the challenges intensify as one approaches the summit.

“You already have confidence and have achieved great things. Of course, there are still things we can improve. We need to build on that, on this confidence, without becoming overconfident,” the coach concluded, as quoted by DPA.