Fourteen years after his arrival on the bench of the Blues, Didier Deschamps definitively turned the page this Saturday evening. The elimination in the semi-final of the World Cup against Spain (0-2), then the heavy defeat against England (4-6) in the match for third place marked the last hours of the coach at the head of the France team. His departure had been known for more than a year, after his announcement on the 8 p.m. news on TF1 and Zinédine Zidane will now take over from him. But until now, the 1998 world champion had never really explained the real reasons for his decision.
At the microphone of M6Didier Deschamps finally lifted the veil. The former coach explained that he had chosen to leave his post above all to protect the French team, believing that his presence now crystallized far too much criticism. “I controlled my departure, because I decided to. I decided it had to stop there. And if I made this decision, I say it sincerely, it is not for me. It’s for the good of the French team. I haven’t said it until now, I’ll tell you in all honesty, I didn’t make this decision for myself. Because there was an environment which was so unbreathable, which was in relation to me, on me. The French team doesn’t deserve that. It didn’t happen overnight, I thought about it. Since I made the announcement, things have been much better for the French team. »
A harmful atmosphere around the Blues
The 57-year-old technician also explained that he could very well have continued with the Blues if he had really wanted, as well as already preparing for the future. But he wanted to do things according to the rules. “I like to master and I have mastered well. I could have continued, I didn’t want to. I could have, before the World Cup, during it, made a decision on my future. But no, because I respect the French team too much. And everything in its time. I’m going to take the time to recover, but I’m not going to stay inactive either. I am privileged thanks to football, to the French team, to have freedom and choice. In all humility, I still have some requests. So I will take the time. » The 57-year-old technician also recalled that the institution must always take precedence over men. “The French team is above everything. She doesn’t belong to me. I was in his service on mission for 14 years”he confided.
The one who leaves behind one of the best records in the history of the Blues with a World Cup, a Nations League, a world final in 2022 and a Euro final has also assured that he will now distance himself from the French selection in order to leave plenty of room for his successor. “I prohibit myself from being able to talk about the France team from this evening”he said, referring to a “duty of reserve”. A way to definitively close a historic chapter of French football before the opening of the Zinédine Zidane era which will therefore begin quite quickly.
