Didier Deschamps’ final France test before stepping down after 14 years | OneFootball

Spain at 21.00 on Tuesday is the penultimate hurdle on Didier Deschamps’ road to glory after 14 years in charge. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, he will step down next week and Zinedine Zidane will take over.

When he took charge in summer 2012, Vicente del Bosque led Spain, Luis de la Fuente was unemployed, Kylian Mbappé was 13, and Lamine Yamal had just turned five. Since replacing Laurent Blanc, France have had one head coach and 10 prime ministers.

His tenure almost ended early. France lost 2-0 in Kiev in the 2014 World Cup play-off first leg, and Valbuena said Deschamps tore into the dressing room. They responded with a 3-0 win in Paris to reach Brazil.

The biggest crisis centred on Valbuena’s 2015 blackmail case, in which Karim Benzema was later convicted of complicity. Deschamps initially dropped both, Benzema returned for Euro 2021, distrust lingered, and after injury he was omitted from Qatar 2022.

Deschamps has not indulged reputations. Samir Nasri was discarded after 2014, Adrien Rabiot spent two years out after refusing a standby role for 2018 and is now a starter. Antoine Griezmann lost the armband to Mbappé after Hugo Lloris retired.

Tactically he adapts to his squad. He won in 2018 with Blaise Matuidi working off the left, and on Tuesday will field four forwards, Olise, Dembélé, Mbappé and either Doué or Barcola. Two summers ago he said results, not entertainment, come first.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo