2 min readJun 24, 2026 04:43 PM IST
France will be without their head coach Dider Deschamps on the touchline for their final 2026 FIFA World Cup group game against Norway as the latter has returned back home to attend the funeral of his mother, who died on Tuesday. The French Football Federation (FFF) made the announcement in a statement on their X account and later posted a video of the team and the coaching staff paying tribute before starting their training session.
“The national team coach had the sorrow, this Tuesday morning, of learning of the death of his mother. He will return to France to attend her funeral,” the FFF said. The federation further said that the team will be led by Deschamps’ assistant Guy Stephan in his absence.
Moment de recueillement avant la séance. Nous sommes tous avec vous, coach 💙 pic.twitter.com/lmtScxGOpD
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 24, 2026
“In agreement with Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation, who is present at the France team’s base camp for the World Cup in the United States, Didier Deschamps has entrusted responsibility to his assistant, Guy Stephan, to lead the group until his return. In this extremely painful moment, we wish the coach and his family much courage and assure them of the support of everyone at the Federation,” the federation added.
Both France and Norway are already through to the Round of 32 but this final group game could decide which side finish as the group winners, apart from carrying the weight pitting superstar forwards Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland against each other. France beat Senegal 3-1 in their first match of the tournament then Iraq 3-0 to secure passage.
One of the most accomplished figures in football, Deschamps is looking to lead France to victory in the World Cup a second time as manager. He is among only three individuals to have won the FIFA World Cup both as a player and a coach. He won the coveted trophy as a player in 1998 in France, where he also captained the side, and then won it in 2018 as the head coach in Russia.
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