Miami [US], July 19 (ANI): The French Football Federation (FFF) thanked outgoing coach Didier Deschamps for his “exceptional commitment in service to Les Bleus” after the team suffered a 6-4 defeat to England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 bronze medal match in Miami on Saturday (local time).
Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick powered the Three Lions to victory after they raced to a 4-0 half-time lead through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Saka. France fought back with Kylian Mbappe’s brace and Bradley Barcola’s goal, with Mbappe becoming the World Cup’s all-time top scorer. Jude Bellingham sealed England’s dramatic win in stoppage time.
The loss marked the end of a brilliant 14-year journey of Deschamps as France manager. He took charge of France in 2012, guided the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title and another final in 2022 before their 2026 campaign ended with a semi-final loss to Spain.
In a post on X, the FFF praised Deschamps for his exceptional work since taking charge in 2012, highlighting his long-standing commitment and the lasting impact he has had on Les Bleus and French football.
“The FFF salutes and thanks the national team coach Didier Deschamps for the exceptional work accomplished at the helm of France since 2012. In leaving, in just a few days, his role as coach of the French National Team, Didier Deschamps brings to a close a quarter-century of exceptional commitment in service to Les Bleus and French football. There are careers that indelibly mark the history of an institution and a country,” the FFF said.
The FFF credited Deschamps with restoring France’s credibility and maintaining their place among the world’s elite, praising his leadership, discipline and achievements, including the 2018 World Cup title, 2021 Nations League triumph and multiple major finals.
“Didier Deschamps embodied rigor, discipline, a sense of the collective, and a love for the blue jersey. Under his leadership, for fourteen years, the French National Team regained credibility, respect, and affection while remaining at the highest level worldwide, winning the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 Nations League, and reaching several major finals, all while maintaining unparalleled consistency,” he said.
The FFF praised Deschamps for building a culture of performance, developing generations of players, uniting the team around strong values, and strengthening the bond between Les Bleus and French fans.
“Beyond the 185 matches played and 120 victories, Didier Deschamps passed on a culture of performance and responsibility that will remain a benchmark for generations to come. He nurtured the emergence of numerous internationals, united several squads around strong values, and helped strengthen the unique bond between the French people and their national team,” the FFF said.
“Captain of the 1998 World Cup-winning team and the 2000 European Championship winners, then World Cup-winning coach twenty years later, Didier Deschamps holds a singular place in the history of French football. Few will have given as much to the blue jersey, first as a player and then as a coach,” the FFF added.
The FFF expressed gratitude to Deschamps for his dedication and lasting impact, saying his legacy would remain etched in French football and among supporters.
“The Federation and its employees salute his availability and commitment. His imprint will remain indelible, at Clairefontaine as in the hearts of the millions of supporters and volunteers he never forgot. The FFF wishes to express its infinite gratitude to him. Thank you, Didier,” said the FFF.
In what will go down as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in modern tournament history, Bukayo Saka’s magnificent hat-trick overcame Kylian Mbappe’s brace and powered the Three Lions to their best World Cup finish on foreign soil since 1966.
England took absolute control of the first half, leaving Les Bleus shell-shocked with an unprecedented 4-0 lead before the interval. Declan Rice opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, before defender Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then took centre stage, netting twice in quick succession (37′, 45+1′) to mark the first time France has ever conceded four goals in a single half of World Cup football.
However, the second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Facing his 187th and final match in charge of France, manager Didier Deschamps rang in tactical substitutions at halftime that sparked a furious French resurrection. Mbappe led the charge, striking in the 48th minute before Bradley Barcola added a second just six minutes later to make it 4-2.
When Mbappe struck again in the 66th minute to bring France within one goal, England looked completely rattled under relentless waves of attack.
Notably, with his second goal, Mbappe created history by overtaking Lionel Messi to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. The brace took Mbappe’s World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving him one clear of Messi’s 21.
Just as the game seemed to be slipping away from Thomas Tuchel’s men, England found their relief. A late counter-attack resulted in an 87th-minute penalty, which Saka calmly converted to complete his hat-trick and restore breathing room at 5-3.
The drama spilt deep into stoppage time as Ousmane Dembele clawed one back for France in the 90+6th minute, but Jude Bellingham put the final exclamation point on the historic night, scoring in the 90+8th minute to seal the extraordinary 6-4 victory for England to cap their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a high. (ANI)
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