France bids farewell to Deschamps as England clinches third place

France wanted a victory to send Didier Deschamps out in style, but a disconnected first half left Kylian Mbappé and his teammates chasing the game as England struck with more purpose in the third-place playoff. The result turned Deschamps’ final match in charge into a muted ending for a coach who had been tied to Les Bleus for 25 years.

Deschamps said the national team was the “greatest thing” of his professional career as he marked the end of a run that began a quarter-century ago. France arrived in the match still stung by its semifinal defeat to Spain, and the third-place game offered the squad one last chance to give Deschamps a farewell win rather than a consolation finish.

Mbappé added a separate layer of tension. Deschamps confirmed he was “available” for the match, and the France captain also had an individual target in sight as he tried to close the tournament with a prize and add to his goal tally in the race for the Golden Boot. Instead, France’s early lack of connection left the attack short of rhythm, and England were the more incisive side when it mattered.

The fixture carried its own historical weight as well. It was only the third World Cup meeting between France and England. England won 2-0 in 1966 and 3-1 in 1982, before France reversed the pattern with a 2-1 victory in Qatar in 2022. Olivier Giroud decided that game with a 78th-minute goal, a reminder of how narrow the margins have been in a rivalry that has now swung across generations.

For Deschamps, the night closed a 25-year chapter that included the highs of a golden era and the pain of another final setback. For Mbappé, it was a reminder that elite attacking talent still needs cohesion to turn pressure into a fitting farewell.