Deschamps Reflects on Disappointing Bronze Medal Match Loss Against England
France's Coach Critiques First-Half Performance
Miami [US], July 19: Didier Deschamps, the departing coach of France, did not hold back in his assessment of the team's performance, labeling their first half as "disgraceful" following a 6-4 defeat to England in the bronze medal match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in Miami on Saturday (local time).
England secured the bronze medal in a thrilling match that saw a record-breaking total of 10 goals, marking a disappointing conclusion to Deschamps' 14-year tenure as the head coach of France.
In a dominant display, England established a commanding 4-0 lead by halftime, leaving the French team stunned. Declan Rice initiated the scoring just three minutes into the match, followed by Ezri Konsa doubling the lead in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then scored twice in quick succession (37', 45+1'), making history as France became the first team to concede four goals in a single half of World Cup play.
Post-match, Deschamps acknowledged the team's poor first-half showing but commended their resilience. He accepted responsibility for the loss, noting that they fought back after the break and had opportunities to equalize, although he expressed regret over not finishing in third place.
"It’s a loss. We were down 4-0; we played a disgraceful first-half. We did show some fight, though, and there were things we did well. We had two chances to tie it up at 4-4, and after that, we pushed forward a little more... We did what we know how to do. It’s my fault; I must not have done what was needed in the first half... At least it looked like something, even if the loss hurts. Obviously, it would have been better to finish third," Deschamps stated, as reported by the FIFA website.
France mounted an impressive comeback in the second half, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding another, narrowing the score to 4-3. Mbappe's goals also made him the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi. However, England regained their footing when Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute. Ousmane Dembele scored late for France, but Jude Bellingham sealed England's victory with a goal in stoppage time.
Deschamps emphasized the talent within the French squad and acknowledged their potential for greater achievements. He reflected on the positive experiences shared with millions of French supporters and described his time with the team as a remarkable journey.
"We came here with a lot of ambition. We managed to do quite a few positive things. We fell short in our match against Spain. It’s not all a total loss. We have a quality squad, young players who will continue to move up the ranks. We had the talent to keep achieving very good results. On a personal level, it’s been a truly wonderful journey with them. We spent eight weeks together since the start of our preparations. It was wonderful. The disappointment lies in the sporting aspect, but we had the opportunity to stir up emotions, and millions of French people were able to experience those emotions. It’s the World Cup—there’s nothing more beautiful than that," he remarked.
This match marked the conclusion of Deschamps' illustrious 14-year career as France's manager. He took the helm in 2012, leading the team to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reaching the final again in 2022, before their 2026 campaign ended with a semi-final defeat to Spain.