Deschamps leaves World Cup squad to attend mother's funeral, missing France's Norway clash

Didier Deschamps has left France’s World Cup squad to attend his mother’s funeral, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed on Tuesday, with assistant coach Guy Stéphan stepping in to lead the team for Friday’s Group D decider against Norway in Massachusetts.

The FFF said Deschamps learned of his mother’s death on Tuesday morning and immediately returned home to France. No date was given for when the 57-year-old is expected to rejoin the squad in the United States.

“At this incredibly painful time, we wish the head coach great strength and assure him of everyone’s support,” the federation said in a statement.

Stéphan, Deschamps’ long-serving assistant, will oversee preparations and take charge on the touchline against Norway, a side that, like France, has won both of its opening group matches.

France arrive at the fixture already through to the knockout stage after victories over Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0). A win or draw would secure top spot in the group.

The Norway game carries additional weight as the final match of Deschamps’ tenure before the tournament ends. The former France captain announced ahead of the World Cup that he would step down after the competition, bringing to a close a 14-year reign as head coach — the longest of any manager in the history of the national team.

Deschamps guided Les Bleus to World Cup glory in Russia in 2018 and took them to the final in Qatar in 2022, where they were beaten by Argentina on penalties after a dramatic 3-3 draw. He remains one of the few people to have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach.