Mbappé Delivers Emotional Farewell to Coach Deschamps Before Final France Match

Kylian Mbappé, captain of the French national team, addressed a farewell message to his coach Didier Deschamps on Saturday, just hours before Deschamps takes his final seat on the bench for France in the 2026 World Cup third-place match against England.

Deschamps, 57, concludes his legendary tenure as the longest-serving coach in the history of the French national team after leading the squad since 2012. During his time, he guided France to victory in the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Nations League.

The French team is set to face England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in a match that carries no major stakes beyond determining the third-place finisher of the 2026 World Cup.

Mbappé, who leads the tournament’s scoring charts with eight goals, dedicated a heartfelt farewell to Deschamps, expressing that he and his teammates had hoped to send the coach off in a manner befitting his legendary status in French football.

In a widely shared Instagram post, Mbappé wrote: "Today is your last match with us, you who have given us so much. We should have bid you a farewell worthy of you, but we did not succeed."

He continued: "It is difficult to describe what you have contributed over 14 years. You were a central player in the rise of this team. People have not always appreciated your greatness, but time and history will correct that."

Mbappé, who has scored 20 goals across three World Cups (2018, 2022, and 2026 to date), added: "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent my country on the biggest sporting stage throughout these years. I am proud to have stood alongside one of our nation’s greatest legends, and I will never forget all that we lived and achieved together."

He concluded his message by saying: "I wish you all the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you have contributed to this jersey that means so much to us."

Before Zinedine Zidane takes over as the French national team coach following Deschamps, Mbappé, who has played 105 international matches and scored 64 goals for France, aims to secure third place for the team and strengthen his chances of finishing as the tournament's top scorer.