France captain Kylian Mbappe has paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps as the veteran coach prepares to take charge of his final match after 14 years at the helm. Sunday's third-place playoff against England marks the end of Deschamps' remarkable tenure with Les Bleus. Mbappe described the outgoing coach as a key figure in his career and praised his lasting impact on French football.
"You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed. Putting words to what you brought over 14 years is very difficult," Mbappe wrote in a post on X.
Mbappe admitted he wished he could have given Deschamps a more fitting farewell by helping France reach the World Cup final. Instead, Les Bleus will battle England in the third-place playoff after falling to Spain in the semifinals.
"I feel privileged to have been able to stand alongside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I hold only excellent memories of everything we lived through and accomplished together. I wish you the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you brought to this jersey that means so much to us," he conlcuded.
