Deschamps moved by Nantes tribute despite France's defeat to Ivory Coast

France suffered a 1-2 defeat to Ivory Coast on Wednesday evening at La Beaujoire stadium in Nantes, in the first of two final friendly matches before the 2026 World Cup. Despite the loss, Didier Deschamps received a vibrant tribute from the Nantes crowd that marked the evening.

The supporters of Les Bleus chose the seventh minute of play to pay homage to the manager, seven being the number he wore with the French national team during his playing career. From his bench, Deschamps acknowledged the stands without hiding his emotion, he who is usually very reserved in public.

Questioned after the final whistle, he shared rare words about his attachment to the Ligerian club. « Everything started here more than forty years ago. Through the people I was able to see again, my beginnings here. I know what I owe. I will always be grateful to this club because it gave me everything on a sporting level. And on a human level too because I was less than fifteen years old when I arrived here. »

The manager then allowed himself a more personal confidence, briefly evoking his private life: « I met my wife here. There was the adventure as a teenager back then, then as a man and then sportingly as well. It’s always a pleasure to come back here. »

These statements take on particular significance a few months before the end of his tenure: Deschamps announced that he will leave the position of manager at the end of the 2026 World Cup. Before that, Les Bleus will play one final friendly match against Northern Ireland, next Monday at 21:10 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.