France head coach Didier Deschamps will miss his side's final World Cup group game after the death of his mother, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed.
Deschamps returns to France for funeral
Deschamps learned of his mother's passing on Tuesday morning and has been granted permission by FFF president Philippe Diallo to fly back to France to attend the funeral. Assistant coach Guy Stephan will take charge of the squad until Deschamps returns, the FFF said in a statement.
France already through to knockout stages
France have already qualified for the knockout stages after beating Senegal and Iraq in their opening two games. They face Norway on Friday in Boston to determine the winner of Group I. France defeated Senegal 3-1 in New Jersey last week, followed by a 3-0 victory against Iraq on Monday, which included a two-hour weather delay in Philadelphia.
Deschamps' legacy as player and manager
As a player, Deschamps won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000 with France. He became manager of the national side in 2012, leading them to a World Cup final victory in Russia in 2018 and a second-place finish against Argentina in the final in 2022.
