Kylian Mbappe pens emotional farewell to Didier Deschamps ahead of France coach’s final match

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On the eve of Didier Deschamps’ final match as France manager, Kylian Mbappé has delivered a poignant farewell message to the man who guided him from teenage prodigy to world champion.

The France captain took to Instagram hours before Saturday’s World Cup third-place playoff against England to honor Deschamps, who will step down after 14 years at the helm. The 2026 World Cup campaign ended in semifinal heartbreak for Les Bleus, who fell 2-0 to Spain and saw their dreams of a third consecutive final appearance shattered.

“Today is your last dance,” Mbappé wrote. “You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed”.

The 27-year-old striker, who became France’s all-time leading scorer during the tournament, reflected on the magnitude of Deschamps’ impact since taking over in 2012.

“Putting words to what you brought over 14 years is very difficult, so major an actor were you in the revival of this team,” Mbappé continued. “People haven’t always known how to appreciate your greatness, but time and history will take care of that”.

Deschamps’ tenure ranks among the most successful in French football history. He led France to World Cup glory in 2018, a runner-up finish in 2022, the 2021 Nations League title, and the Euro 2016 final. He is one of only three individuals to have won the World Cup both as a player—captaining France to victory on home soil in 1998—and as a coach.

For Mbappé, the connection runs deeper than manager and player. Deschamps handed the then-teenager his senior debut in 2017 and has been the constant presence throughout his international career.

“Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years,” Mbappé wrote. “I feel privileged to have been able to stand alongside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I hold only excellent memories of everything we lived through and accomplished together”.

The 2026 campaign ends without the silverware France had targeted, but Mbappé made clear the scale of Deschamps’ legacy transcends this tournament’s outcome. The manager’s departure will trigger a new era, with Zinedine Zidane widely expected to take the reins.

“I wish you the best in your new adventure,” Mbappé concluded, “and thank you again for everything you brought to this jersey that means so much to us”.

France faces England in Saturday’s third-place playoff in Miami, a match that will bring down the curtain on one of the most decorated managerial careers in international football.

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