Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national team, is set to rejoin his squad for the World Cup training on Saturday. His return follows a brief trip back to France to attend his mother’s funeral. Guy Stephan, France’s assistant coach, confirmed Deschamps’ imminent return, expressing the team’s relief and pleasure at his rejoining them for training.
Stephan addressed reporters after France’s 4-1 victory over Norway in their final group stage match on Friday. He noted that Deschamps would be back with the team promptly. The coach had missed the match, held at the Gillette Stadium near Boston, to be present at his mother’s funeral in south-western France, following her passing earlier in the week.
The former France captain is scheduled to step down from his role as coach of Les Bleus at the conclusion of this World Cup, having held the position for 14 years. His absence for the Norway match was a temporary measure due to personal circumstances.
France’s Performance and Player Highlights
In the match against Norway, Ousmane Dembele delivered a standout performance, scoring a hat-trick in the first half. His efforts were central to France’s dominant display, as they secured their third consecutive win in the group stage. This victory allowed France to finish first in Group I with a maximum of nine points.
Stephan praised Dembele’s clinical finishing, highlighting that scoring three goals in a World Cup game is an exceptional achievement. Another goal for France came from Desire Doue, Dembele’s teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, who scored late in the game. Stephan remarked that Doue’s goal was likely the first header of his career, indicating the variety of interesting moments in the match.
Despite Norway being a quality side, they did not field their full-strength team, with players like Erling Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard being rested. Stephan acknowledged that France could have scored more goals, but expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, describing it as a great day filled with goals and good moments that the players enjoyed.
Logistical Advantages and Upcoming Fixture
France, who were World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, entered the tournament as strong contenders. Their performance in the group stage has met expectations, and they are now set to advance to a last-32 tie. This upcoming match will take place next Tuesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Their opponent will be either Sweden, who finished third in Group F, or the third-placed team from Group G. Stephan emphasized the importance of securing first place in their group for logistical reasons, noting that a 45-minute flight to their next destination is preferable to a three or four-hour journey to Dallas.
Meanwhile, Norway, having finished second in their group, will travel to Dallas to face Ivory Coast in their next fixture. The French team’s media duties prior to the Norway match were also adjusted, with FIFA granting an exception for Aurélien Tchouaméni and Guy Stephan to address the media from their training base at Bentley University’s sports complex in Waltham, rather than the Gillette Stadium.
This exception allowed Tchouaméni, the vice-captain, to conduct the pre-match press conference, followed by Stephan. This arrangement was made on the eve of Friday’s World Cup meeting with Norway, which was scheduled for 21:00 French time. Training for the French squad was set for 15:30, with the initial 15 minutes open to media observation.
Earlier in the week, France had secured a 3-0 victory over Iraq. Stephan had also returned to France for a few days following his mother’s passing, and the FIFA exception allowed him to avoid the trip to Foxborough, which is approximately an hour from the French base at the Four Seasons in Boston.
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Source: tribune.com.pk
