France coach Didier Deschamps took responsibility for his team's "unacceptable" first-half collapse in a 6-4 defeat to England on Saturday, bringing his 14-year reign as France coach to an end.
France trailed 4-0 at half-time in the World Cup third-place play-off after goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a first-half brace from Bukayo Saka. Although Kylian Mbappé scored twice and Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé also found the net to spark a comeback, England held on, with Saka completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Jude Bellingham sealed the victory in stoppage time.
"It is a defeat, but we were 4-0 down. We produced an unacceptable first half," Deschamps told reporters.
"There was a reaction, with the things we know how to do well... It is my fault because I must not have done what was needed in the first half."
The defeat came after France's 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain, ending hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final. England, meanwhile, bounced back from their 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina to secure third place.
Mbappé finished the match with 10 goals at the tournament, extending his lead in the Golden Boot race. His second goal made him the first player to score 10 goals at a single World Cup since Gerd Müller in 1970 and took his career World Cup tally to 22, surpassing Lionel Messi's 21.
Deschamps said France's second-half response restored some pride but admitted the team had fallen short of its ambitions.
"It would have been better to finish third," he said. "We came here with a lot of ambition... The disappointment is there on a sporting level."
The French Football Federation paid tribute to Deschamps, who leaves after 185 matches and 120 victories. He guided France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2021 Nations League crown and became only the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach.
"Thank you, Didier," the federation said, praising the "indelible mark" he leaves on French football.
Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England held off a stunning France fightback to claim a 6-4 victory in a madcap Miami thriller on Saturday, securing third place for their best World Cup finish since their sole title triumph in 1966.
In a match of two halves where defending was a second thought, Kylian Mbappe scored twice to become the all-time World Cup top scorer as France battled back from 4-0 down at halftime to come within a handful of missed chances of equalising.
Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot three minutes from time to make it 5-3 and calm England's nerves, having scored twice in the first half after goals from Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa had given England the perfect start.
There was still time for a strike from Ousmane Dembele to offer France hope, but substitute Jude Bellingham snuffed it out deep in stoppage time with his seventh goal atthe tournament - the most by an England player at a single World Cup.
"We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half," said England manager Thomas Tuchel.
"We are so, so tired and drained from the last weeks ... I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again."
The total of 10 goals was the highest for a third-place playoff match, bettering France's 6-3 victory over West Germany at the 1958 tournament.
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