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.
An agreement between Iran and the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected "soon," a U.S. official has said. The deal would result in the resum...
A state of emergency was declared in the district of Summerland, British Columbia, early on Saturday as a fast-moving wildfire swept through western C...
Typhoon Dolphin lashed Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, injuring six people, disrupting flights and leaving more than 50,000 buildin...
An agreement between Iran and the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected "soon," a U.S. official has said. The deal would result in the resumption of commercial shipping through the sea passage and the lifting of an American naval blockade on Iranian ports.
U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are progressing and suggested an agreement with Iran could be reached “soon”.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 8th of August, covering the latest developments.
U.S. President Donald Trump may have to accept concessions he previously opposed if he wants to secure a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to analysts, as negotiators move closer to a temporary agreement.
A U.S. judge has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million over claims that its platforms failed to protect children from online harm.
A state of emergency was declared in the district of Summerland, British Columbia, early on Saturday as a fast-moving wildfire swept through western Canada, forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes.
Serbia will continue to support Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity while seeking closer economic cooperation between the two countries, President Aleksandar Vučić said on Saturday, stopping short of pledging sanctions against Belgrade’s long-time ally Russia.
One year after its launch, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) has emerged as one of the most significant diplomatic and economic initiatives in the South Caucasus, linking peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan with expanding trade and regional connectivity.
A drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania on Saturday and exploded near the village of Kardam, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, adding that there were no casualties or damage to infrastructure.
Russian drone strikes killed a three-year-old boy and his grandparents in a village in the Kyiv region, while another person was killed in an overnight ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian capital, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment