Deschamps eyes World Cup glory with France: 'Nothing beats being a world champion'
Synopsis
Didier Deschamps is chasing football immortality at the 2026 World Cup — a second title as France coach that would make him the first person to win the tournament twice as a manager while also having won it as a player. With Senegal, Norway, and Iraq standing in France's group-stage path, and this confirmed as his farewell tournament, Deschamps is all-in on one last pursuit of the sport's greatest prize.
Key Takeaways
Didier Deschamps will lead France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — his fourth and final tournament as head coach.
He is one of only three men in history to win the World Cup as both player ( 1998 ) and coach ( 2018 ), alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer .
A second title as coach would make Deschamps the first person to achieve that feat while also having won it as a player.
France face Senegal , Norway , and Iraq in the group stage; the Senegal opener revives memories of their 2002 upset defeat.
Deschamps dismissed a revenge narrative, calling the Senegal match 'a new chapter' and describing them as 'a top footballing nation in Africa'.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has declared winning the FIFA World Cup the pinnacle of football, saying 'nothing beats being a world champion' as he gears up for his fourth World Cup and final tournament at the helm of Les Bleus at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 57-year-old, who has won the trophy both as captain and coach, is chasing an unprecedented double in what promises to be his farewell campaign.
A Legacy Unlike Any Other
Deschamps is one of only three men in football history to have lifted the World Cup as both player and coach, alongside Brazil's Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer. He captained France to glory in 1998 on home soil and masterminded their second title in 2018 in Russia. A victory at the 2026 tournament would make him the first person ever to win the World Cup twice as a coach, while also having won it as a player — a record that may never be matched.
'I've been lucky enough to win trophies at club level, the Champions League and more, but nothing beats being a world champion. Your name stays the same, but two words are added forever: 'world champion',' Deschamps said in an interview with FIFA ahead of the tournament.
Eyes on the Present, Not the Past
Despite his extraordinary record, Deschamps insisted he is not consumed by nostalgia or legacy. 'I only ever think about today and tomorrow; that's just how I am. Honestly, nothing else matters. I'm focused on what lies ahead. What happened in 1998 and 2018 will always stay with me, but nothing can change the past. What matters now is what we do next,' he said.
The coach acknowledged the weight of expectation that comes with France's recent pedigree — winners in 2018, finalists in 2022 — but was measured in his assessment. 'We're one of the 10 or 12 nations that can realistically dream of becoming world champions. But there will be only one winner and many disappointed teams,' he noted.
France's Group Stage Path
France will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Senegal, before facing Norway and Iraq in the group stage. The opener carries historical resonance — Senegal famously defeated France in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup in one of the tournament's biggest upsets. Deschamps, however, dismissed any revenge narrative outright. 'There's no such thing as revenge in sport. It's history now. This is a new chapter. Senegal is a top footballing nation in Africa,' he said.
The Final Chapter
With this confirmed as his last tournament as France coach, Deschamps admitted he has given little thought to life beyond the role. His focus remains singular: one final shot at the sport's ultimate prize. Notably, this will be his fourth World Cup as France's head coach, a tenure that has already placed him among the most decorated managers in the history of the game. How it ends will define the final chapter of a career that has straddled football's highest honours on both sides of the touchline.
Point of View
And no one has done so while also lifting it as a player. The 2026 tournament is less a farewell tour and more a live attempt at rewriting the record books. France's group draw is manageable, but the Senegal opener is a trap — a motivated African side with a point to prove and a nation's memory of 2002 to fuel them. Whether Deschamps' laser focus on 'today and tomorrow' is enough to navigate that, and the rounds beyond, is the real question this tournament poses.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record could Didier Deschamps set at the 2026 World Cup?
Deschamps could become the first person in football history to win the FIFA World Cup twice as a coach, having already won it as a player in 1998 and as coach in 2018. No manager has ever won the tournament twice, and no one has achieved the feat of winning it as both player and coach more than once.
Who are the other coaches to have won the World Cup as both player and coach?
Only two others have achieved this: Brazil's Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer. Deschamps joined this exclusive group after coaching France to the 2018 title, having captained them to victory on home soil in 1998.
Who will France face in the 2026 World Cup group stage?
France are drawn against Senegal, Norway, and Iraq in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. The opener against Senegal is historically charged — Senegal defeated France in the 2002 World Cup group stage in one of the tournament's most memorable upsets.
Is the 2026 World Cup Deschamps' last tournament as France coach?
Yes, Deschamps has confirmed the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his final tournament as France head coach. He has not detailed plans for life after the role, stating he is fully focused on the tournament ahead.
Why does Deschamps dismiss the revenge narrative against Senegal?
Deschamps said 'there's no such thing as revenge in sport,' describing the 2002 result as history and the 2026 match as 'a new chapter.' He acknowledged Senegal as 'a top footballing nation in Africa,' signalling respect rather than complacency.
