France coach Didier Deschamps has returned home following the death of his mother and will miss Les Bleus' final World Cup group match against Norway.
France will be without head coach Didier Deschamps for their final FIFA World Cup Group I match after he returned home following the death of his mother. The French Football Federation confirmed the 57-year-old has travelled back to France to attend the funeral, with assistant coach Guy Stephan taking temporary charge of the team.
The news comes despite a positive tournament for Les Bleus, who have already secured qualification for the knockout stage with victories in their opening two group matches. Their meeting with Norway will now decide which nation finishes top of Group I before the last 32 begins.
The French Football Federation announced that Deschamps was informed of his mother's passing on Tuesday morning. Following discussions with federation president Philippe Diallo, he was granted permission to leave the squad's base in the United States and return to France immediately.
As a result, Deschamps will not oversee training sessions ahead of Friday's fixture. He will also be absent from the touchline when France face Norway. Long-time assistant Guy Stephan has been entrusted with leading the squad until the head coach rejoins the team after the funeral.
The federation also offered its support to Deschamps during what it described as an extremely difficult personal moment. No date has been confirmed for his return, although expectations remain that he will rejoin the squad before the knockout rounds.
Despite the emotional setback, France remain in an excellent sporting position. They booked their place in the knockout stage after opening the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Senegal before following it up with a convincing 3-0 win against Iraq.
The win over Iraq came despite a weather delay that interrupted proceedings, but France eventually maintained their perfect start. Norway have also won their opening two fixtures, making Friday's encounter a straight battle for first place in Group I.
With qualification already secured, both teams could make selective changes to preserve players for the knockout stage. However, finishing first could offer a more favourable path through the competition.
France have collected six points from two matches, scoring six goals while conceding only once. Their attacking display has been matched by defensive discipline, making them one of the tournament's strongest performers heading into the knockout rounds.
Deschamps has overseen another impressive campaign after guiding France through several successful tournaments. As a player, he captained France to the 1998 World Cup and UEFA European Championship titles. As head coach since 2012, he delivered the 2018 World Cup crown and led France to the 2022 final.
Guy Stephan's familiarity with the squad should ensure continuity during Deschamps' absence. The experienced assistant has worked alongside him throughout France's recent international success.
France face Norway on Friday in Boston, with top spot in Group I on the line before the knockout stage begins. Deschamps is expected to return after attending his mother's funeral, while Stephan will oversee preparations and lead the team from the bench for the decisive group fixture.
