France head coach Didier Deschamps has revealed he was left “devastated” by the death of his mother, saying returning to the national team for the World Cup has helped him cope with the loss.
The 57-year-old briefly left France’s training camp in the United States to be with his family before rejoining the squad ahead of their Round of 32 clash against Sweden.
Deschamps reflects on personal loss
Speaking before the knockout fixture, Deschamps admitted the past few days had been emotionally challenging but said resuming his coaching duties had helped him focus.
“How am I? I’m doing okay. Obviously I had complicated days where I was devastated,” Deschamps told M6.
“But for my own personal well-being and for the good of the France team, I had to leave. Afterwards, they did what was necessary.”
The France boss said preparing for the next stage of the tournament has given him something to concentrate on while mourning.
“Since I’ve been back, I’ve got back into this preparation for this match against Sweden. It’s good to have my head occupied.”
France build momentum for knockout stage
While Deschamps was away, his coaching staff guided France to a 4-1 victory over Norway, completing a perfect group-stage campaign with three wins from three matches.
The former France captain praised his players for achieving their first objective at the tournament.
“It was our objective to have this first place. Having this victory with nine points, even if it doesn’t give a bonus, we had never done it,” he said.
“It’s always a good thing to win matches. The first objective is achieved.”
France advanced to the knockout stage with maximum points from Group I and will face Sweden as they continue their bid for a third World Cup title.
Deschamps, who has managed France since 2012, guided the team to World Cup success in 2018 and another final appearance in 2022.
With his contract due to expire next month, he will be hoping to end his tenure by leading Les Bleus to another world title.