It will be Didier Deschamps' last challenge at the head of the Blues. After fourteen years on the bench of the French team, the tricolor coach will indeed leave his functions at the end of the World Cup. It was also discussed on Sunday during the UNFP trophies ceremony.
Coming on stage to give Ousmane Dembélé the title of best Ligue 1 player, the former midfielder saw Thomas Touroude, the master of ceremonies, invite him to make the French public dream by speaking of the chances of coronation of the French team. But in response, Didier Deschamps wanted to be pragmatic by recalling that it was already necessary to qualify, the playoffs starting only in September for the Blues.
“Before lifting the trophy, we will try to qualify. We will pass the steps in order. We are going to be pragmatic and we are not going to ignite. We have two big matches in early September ”he objected, then evoking a painful memory, that of the 1994 World Cup, failed by the Blues following his defeat against Bulgaria in the last second, a month after a setback against Israel: “In my first life, I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to go there because we did not qualify. »»
Didier Deschamps marked with red iron
Because if Didier Deschamps belongs to a very closed circle by being with the Brazilian Mario Zagallo and the German Franz Beckenbauer one of the only three men in history to have won the World Cup as a player and as a coach, the World Cup is not synonymous that good memories for the Basque, marked with the red iron by the non-qualification of the Blues in the 1994 World Cup.
Four years earlier, the French team had already missed the 1990 World Cup. “This represents twelve years without World Cup, including the first nine years of my international career. I started in April 1989 against Yugoslavia (0-0) when we were almost eliminated, already. We do not lose any of our last four qualifying matches, but the dice were thrown, I only arrive and it is a disappointment of a different nature ”, had he remembered with
The team Before the last World Cup.
The 1994 failure left many more traces. “When we see the 1990 World Cup on TV, we tell ourselves that it is essential for a great nation to be at this meeting”, had he continued, adding:
“So we all think of 1994. We have to be in the United States. And it's a disaster. Years have passed, but it's indelible. Honestly, to see me again in the state where I was on the field, in tears … I don't think it happened to me a second time. »»
“It was inconceivable with two home matches. We are not going to get the professional fault, but we don't have the right, he had added. That day, it could have stopped for us, as it stopped for many. It marked me. There, I said, “Never again. »»
