Didier Deschamps delivered his final pre-match press conference as coach of the French national team in Miami on July 17. For twenty-five minutes, he addressed the upcoming France-England playoff for third place and, inevitably, his personal journey with the team.

“In my mind, I know full well that this will be the final curtain tomorrow. Without trying to be dramatic—and I don’t think anyone will be—this team will be missed. Twenty-five years of dedication leave their mark. But I’m naturally optimistic. What matters is what lies ahead,” he shared, reflecting on his fourteen years as coach and eleven as a player with the Bleus.

A reshuffled lineup for the final act

While downplaying the significance of the third-place match, the coach emphasized that he and his staff would “do everything possible to achieve the competition’s final objective.” “We won’t complain. How many teams have gone home? 44. We didn’t get the tournament we wanted, but there’s a duty. When you wear the French jersey, you don’t come to receive—you come to give. There’s a responsibility to honor the millions of French fans who invested their emotions and were left disappointed,” he asserted.

He offered no clear indications about his starting lineup. Ibrahima Konaté, who spoke just before him to the same audience, personally advocated for the strongest possible team to be fielded. “If tomorrow we decide to rotate the squad and make people happy when it hasn’t been the case until now—and if we lose—we’ll hear about it,” the new Real Madrid defender warned. “We’re disappointed, yes, but this is a France-England clash. There’s history between these two nations. We must respect it—and respect the supporters.”

“No one will play out of obligation. There are no ‘easy games.’ This is a match. Will I make significant changes? From how many players? Yes, I’ll be forced to… [he trails off]. Some players can’t feature, and other factors will lead me to make starting choices,” Deschamps vaguely replied, without naming any potential absentees. William Saliba’s participation seems unlikely, but Kylian Mbappé remains “available.” The striker could still finish as the tournament’s top scorer, whether in this edition or cumulatively.