According to Yonhap News on June 24, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced that Deschamps received the news of his mother’s death on the morning of the same day and will return to France to attend her funeral.
The federation expressed its condolences, stating, "We extend our deepest sympathies to the coach during this difficult time," and added that assistant coach Guy Stephan will temporarily lead the team until Deschamps returns. However, the timeline for Deschamps' return has not been disclosed.
Deschamps is set to step down from his role as head coach of the French national team after this tournament, having held the position for 14 years. As a player, he won the 1998 World Cup with France and later led the team to victory in the 2018 World Cup and a runner-up finish in the 2022 World Cup.
France has already secured a spot in the Round of 32 by defeating Senegal and Iraq in the group stage. They will play their final group match against Norway on June 27.
With the victory over Iraq, Deschamps recorded his 16th win in World Cup matches (3 draws, 2 losses), tying with legendary German coach Helmut Schön for the most wins by a World Cup coach. If France defeats Norway, Deschamps will hold the record for the most wins by a World Cup coach outright, even in his absence.
Additionally, this tournament has seen several instances of coaches temporarily leaving their teams due to family matters. Belgium's Jeremy Doku, for example, traveled to the UK to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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