France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed on Wednesday, January 8, he will leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup, saying it was time to stop, Reuters reports.
The French soccer federation (FFF) told Reuters on Tuesday that Deschamps, who is France’s longest serving national team coach, will not seek to renew his contract which expires in 2026.
Les Bleus have yet to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Deschamps took over from fellow 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc in 2012 and led France to the World Cup title in 2018, two years after reaching the European Championship final on home soil.
Having had won trophies with every club he managed before becoming France coach, Deschamps also claimed the 2021 Nations League title with Les Bleus.
The former France captain, one of only three people to win football’s most prestigious prize as a player and a coach, guided the national team to the World Cup final again in 2022, losing to Argentina on penalties after one of the best matches in the tournament’s history.
