France Coach Deschamps Admits Mistakes After Defeat to England

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - France head coach Didier Deschamps admitted he made tactical mistakes after Les Bleus suffered a dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Miami on Sunday.

Deschamps acknowledged that France's poor first-half display was largely his responsibility after his side fell 4-0 behind before halftime.

"The first half, which ended 0-4 down, was a performance so poor it was embarrassing to even show. However, there was definitely a fightback, and we showed what we can do well. We had two chances to make it 4-," Deschamps said, as quoted by The Chosun Daily website on Sunday.

"After that, we became more aggressive, which is our true form. Unfortunately, we did not win, but it was largely my fault for not taking the necessary measures in time during the first half."

The 57-year-old coach attempted to turn the match around by making four substitutions at once at the start of the second half, bringing on Lucas Digne, Dayot Upamecano, Ousmane Dembele, and Bradley Barcola.

"The loss is painful, but the second half was football-like. Of course, finishing in third place would have been better. We started with big ambitions," he added.

England's Explosive Start

England raced into a commanding lead through goals from Declan Rice in the third minute, Ezri Konsa in the 18th minute, and a first-half brace from Bukayo Saka in the 37th and seventh minute of stoppage time.

France mounted an impressive comeback attempt after the break, scoring three goals in just 20 minutes through Kylian Mbappe, who struck in the 48th and 66th minutes, and Bradley Barcola in the 54th minute to cut the deficit to 4-3.

However, England restored their advantage when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute.

Ousmane Dembele pulled one back deep into stoppage time, but Jude Bellingham sealed England's 6-4 victory moments later.

End of an Era for Deschamps

The defeat marked the end of Deschamps' 14-year tenure as France manager.

During his time in charge, Deschamps guided France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title, the 2022 World Cup final, and a fourth-place finish at the 2026 tournament.

He also led Les Bleus to the UEFA Euro 2016 final and the 2021 UEFA Nations League title.

"There is nothing more beautiful than the French national team," Deschamps said to The Chosun's sport reporter.

"Humanely, the eight weeks of gathering and preparation with the players was a truly beautiful journey. That's why the disappointment in sports is even greater."

"But we had the opportunity to create countless emotions, and tens of millions of French people were able to share those emotions thanks to the media. Of course, we also have regrets. But that's what the World Cup is. It's truly wondrous, and there is nothing more beautiful than this," he added.

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

France's Michael Olise Breaks Pele's World Cup Assist Record

6 jam lalu

France's Mbappe Sets World Cup Scoring Record with 22 Goals

9 jam lalu

England Beat France in World Cup Third-Place Thriller

11 jam lalu

France vs England World Cup Lineup: Mbappe Starts, Bellingham Benched

11 jam lalu

Kylian Mbappe Eyes Golden Boot in Playoff Against England

1 hari lalu

Today's Top 3 News: 72 European Lawmakers Push FIFA Review of Gianni Infantino

2 hari lalu

France vs England World Cup Third-Place Playoff: Date, Records, and More

3 hari lalu

France's Parliament Passes Assisted Dying Law

3 hari lalu

Kylian Mbappe Questions France's Tactics After World Cup Semifinal Exit

4 hari lalu

Spain Knock Out France to Book Place in 2026 World Cup Final

4 hari lalu