France head coach Didier Deschamps has stated that no accomplishment in football rivals winning the FIFA World Cup.
Deschamps was a member of the France team that lifted the FIFA World Cup on home soil in 1998.
The former midfielder later led Les Bleus to their second FIFA World Cup title as head coach at Russia 2018.
Greatest Football Accomplishment
“What happened in 1998 and 2018 will always stay with me, but nothing can change the past. What matters now is what we do next,” Deschamps told FIFA.com.
“My role may have changed between 1998 and 2018, but I was there both times. Both experiences were truly magical.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win trophies at club level, the [UEFA] Champions League, etc, but nothing beats being a world champion. Your name stays the same, but two words are added forever: world champion.”
Deschamps Chases World Cup History
Deschamps, who will step down as France head coach after the 2026 World Cup, could further cement his legacy if Les Bleus triumph in the final on July 19.
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Only three men — Deschamps, the late Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer — have won the FIFA World Cup as both a player and a coach.
Should France lift the trophy again this summer, Deschamps would enter uncharted territory. He would become the first coach to win the World Cup twice, having already claimed the title as a player, while also leading his team to three consecutive World Cup finals.
The former champions go into the tournament among the favourites once again, just as they did at Qatar 2022.
“We’ve built up expectations because of our results,” said the former Juventus coach.
“We lifted the trophy in 2018 and reached the final in 2022, so our supporters are naturally expecting to see France [still in the running] by mid-July.
” We’re one of the 10 or 12 nations that can realistically set their sights on becoming world champions. But do you know how many there will be at the end? Just one! That means at least 11 disappointed nations.”
Deschamps side are drawn in Group I with Senegal, Norway, and Iraq.
