Didier Deschamps held his final pre-match press conference on July 17 in Miami, ahead of the France vs England third-place playoff. The French national team manager spent 25 minutes fielding questions about both the upcoming match and his own future.

“In my mind, I know full well that this will be the end tomorrow. Without trying to be overly sentimental, and I don’t think anyone will be, I know France will miss me. Twenty-five years of service leaves its mark. But I’m a positive person. What matters is what lies ahead,” Deschamps admitted, reflecting on his impending departure after 14 years as head coach and 11 as a player for the national team.

A reshuffled squad for the final push

While downplaying the significance of the match, the manager emphasized that he and his staff would do “everything possible to achieve the final objective of the tournament.” “We have no right to complain. How many teams went home empty-handed? 44. We didn’t get the match we wanted, but there’s a duty to fulfill. When you represent France, you don’t come to receive; you come to give. There’s a responsibility that comes with wearing this jersey, one that millions of French fans who have been disappointed expect us to uphold.”

Deschamps remained tight-lipped about his potential squad selection. Ibrahima Konaté, who spoke to the press just before him, stressed the importance of fielding the strongest possible team. “If tomorrow we decide to rotate the squad and make people happy when we’ve done neither until now, and then lose, people will say what they want,” the new Real Madrid defender noted. “We’re disappointed, yes, but this is a France vs England match. There’s history between these two nations. We must respect that history and the supporters.”

“No one will play out of obligation. There’s no room for favoritism. This is a match. Will I rotate the squad significantly? From how many players onward? Yes, I’ll be making some changes. Some players simply can’t play, and other factors will guide my starting eleven choices,” Deschamps explained vaguely, without revealing the names of any potential absentees. William Saliba’s participation appears highly unlikely, while Kylian Mbappé is confirmed to be “available.” The striker remains in contention for the tournament’s top scorer award, whether in this edition or cumulatively across all World Cups.