Didier Deschamps will not be on the bench of the French team this Friday during the clash against Norway (9 p.m. French time), counting for the third day of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. The French coach in fact rushed back to France after the death of his mother. In this particular context, it is his historic assistant Guy Stéphan who will act as interim manager in Boston to lead the Blues in this decisive match for first place in Group I.
Despite his absence, Deschamps remains fully involved in the preparation of the meeting. According to RMC Sporthe retained a decisive role upstream by validating the strategic choices and team composition, developed in conjunction with Guy Stéphan based on the three training sessions that he was unable to lead. On the other hand, during the meeting, the coach will have to remain at a distance, without direct intervention, given the difficult personal context… In addition, the coach is expected to return this Saturday with the rest of the group in Boston. The Blues, already qualified after their successes against Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0), will nevertheless play an important first place for the rest of their journey in this 2026 World Cup.
