Kylian Mbappe pays heartfelt tribute to Didier Deschamps ahead of 3rd place match vs England

Just hours before France take on England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, captain Kylian Mbappe paid an emotional tribute to outgoing head coach Didier Deschamps, admitting the squad had failed to give one of the country’s greatest managers the farewell he deserved.

Deschamps, who announced before the tournament that he would step down after the World Cup, will oversee France for the final time against England after Les Bleus’ semi-final defeat to Spain ended their hopes of lifting a second world title under his leadership.

Ahead of the match, Mbappe took to social media with a heartfelt message thanking the coach who oversaw one of the most successful eras in French football history.

“Today is your last dance,” Mbappe wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed.”

‘TIME WILL JUDGE’

The France captain reflected on Deschamps’ remarkable 14-year spell in charge, saying the manager’s contribution to the national team went far beyond the trophies he delivered.

“Putting words to what you brought over 14 years is very difficult, so major an actor were you in the revival of this team,” Mbappe wrote.

“People haven’t always known how to appreciate your greatness, but time and history will take care of that.”

Deschamps took over France in 2012 and transformed Les Bleus into one of international football’s dominant forces. He guided the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title in Russia, the UEFA Nations League crown in 2021, and also reached the finals of Euro 2016, the 2022 World Cup and the 2026 World Cup.

Already a World Cup-winning captain in 1998, Deschamps also became only the third man to win football’s biggest prize as both a player and a coach, cementing his place among the sport’s most decorated figures.

END OF AN ERA

Mbappe also thanked Deschamps for placing his trust in him throughout his international career, saying it had been a privilege to represent France under one of the country’s greatest football figures.

“Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years,” Mbappe 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 Real Madrid forward concluded by wishing Deschamps success in whatever comes next.

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

France will now look to ensure Deschamps’ final match ends on a winning note when they face England in the third-place playoff. Regardless of the result, the fixture will bring the curtain down on a 14-year reign that restored France to the summit of world football and established Deschamps as one of the nation’s greatest-ever managers, with Zinedine Zidane widely expected to succeed him.

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