Read for 5 minutes15 Jul 2026 08:07 PM IST
One of the enduring images of World Cup knockout games are those final lingering shots, the camera tracking the faces of some of the best players to ever be a part of the game, in their most desperate moments.
Didier Deschamps’ final moments as France coach are yet to come, with a third-place playoff still to be negotiated. But by the time the final whistle blew in the semi-final against Spain, his face was constantly streaming red, signaling his farewell to managing France.
The French capitulation was a crushing end to the career of a man used to collecting records as a player and manager.
As happened | France vs Spain, FIFA World Cup semi-final
Deschamps can leave with a sense of ‘what could have been’. Perhaps the most talented group of footballers in international football must have been stacked in the trophy cabinet after fourteen years of handling, coming off the Clairefontaine conveyor belt. The French managed to win one World Cup, but defeat to Argentina in the 2022 final, Tuesday’s relegation to Spain and a solitary UEFA Nations League title cannot justify the resources at their disposal.
At the European Championship, Deschamps ‘only’ played in the final and semi-finals with his considerable wealth, although his tenure would be considered historic for any country called France.
There are three losses that will forever grate on the Frenchman. Each of them against Spain; Each has a different version of his team and his assets that he puts forth, playing different permutations and changing combinations. The solution never came.
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France invested heavily in players. Kylian Mbappe has unimaginable political power in his country, possibly more than any player in the prime of his career. Michael Ollis was given a free hand in midfield and for all games bar one, the London-born artist painted freely. Ousmane Dembele won two Champions League crowns and the Ballon d’Or, reviving his career when it had been lost. A team of individual winners, each successful in their own right.
Spain, on the other hand, invested in the team. Luis de la Fuente had a hand in nurturing, training and leading many of the Spanish midfielders who made it to the semi-finals against France in age-group football. There have been different occasions at this World Cup where de la Fuente has shunned humility and declared Spain the best midfield in the world.
It was not arrogance, it was pride. He trusted Unai Simon when most wanted a goalkeeper from a big club for Spain. He trusted Fabian Ruiz’s calm determination over Pedri’s overflowing gifts. He trusted the ingenuity of Dani Olmo over the promise of Ferran Torres. He brought in Mikel Merino in a moment of need and, more importantly, he knew he had built himself.
The answer is no
Deschamps understood Spain’s rise to the semi-finals of the 2024 European Championship sooner than most and set the team to stand firm against that power. But Lamine Yamal wandered into the heart of the French midfield and turned his gifted left foot, curling and dipping to bring the world to its knees.
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In the semi-finals of the Nations League, France suffered a betrayal. Down by four unanswered goals, Spain suffered an hour of public humiliation before withdrawing. Ryan Cherky came on and the French scored four goals but still lost to Yamal’s winner. That game gave Deschamps the idea that France needed to put more effort into their offense. It was a fatal mistake by the coach who failed to recognize the prevailing trends in international football.
Spain defeated France in this World Cup. That means cutting supply to their superstars, starving them of the best ball and watching a team run effortlessly through every defensive set-up, gasping for air; Chasing instead of dictating. Deschamps fell into the same trap that Alex Ferguson did against Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final – arguing with the Spanish style was more important than winning. The name was bigger than the collective and Mbappe, Olise, Dembele and Desire Doue could answer. It shouldn’t have been then and it shouldn’t be now.
France 2026 now Hungary 1954, Netherlands 1974 and Brazil 1982 – all talent, no titles. It could be argued that this could be the most talented group of individuals to ever reach the knockout stages of a World Cup. But spare a thought for Deschamps. The game progressed before his eyes. International football at the highest level is moving towards collective teams. France remains the leader between Spain and Argentina.
There is no room for redemption now. All that’s left to do is look anxiously at the camera one last time before walking away.