France’s 6-4 loss to England in the World Cup third-place match marked Didier Deschamps’ swan song as coach of Les Bleus after 14 years. He broke down in tears at the end of the match.

“I received many messages, but two or three of them made me cry. Don’t ask me who or why, because these are people who mean a lot to me. I started in 2012, putting the French national team above everything else. I ended by telling them that, too. They can go to the biggest clubs in the world, but there’s nothing nothing better. I’m proud to have served them for so long—a very long time for some—and to have left this team at the top, though certainly not on the highest step. I wish them all the best and continued success. I feel that I gave a lot. I had an incredible time talking with them during this tournament. And now, it’s over,” said Deschamps, who managed the team in 185 matches, recording 122 wins, 35 draws, and 30 losses, with his crowning moments being the 2018 World Cup victory and another title, the 2021 Nations League.

Regarding the loss in the third-place match, he said: “It’s a loss, but we were down 4-0. We had a terrible first half. There was a reaction, and we managed to do some things well. We had two chances to tie the score at 4-4. It’s my fault because I probably didn’t do what was necessary in the first half. I should have made different choices from the start of the match. It would have been better to finish third. We started with high hopes. We managed to do quite a few positive things. We lost our match against Spain. They managed to play well against us. It’s not all bad. We have a quality team.”

As for his successor, Zinedine Zidane? “There’s quality in the team—some fantastic players who will grow from this experience. Everything is in place for this French team to remain at the highest level. I don’t wish them any misfortune. I wish the French team and my successor all the best. One thing is certain: as I said, I’ll become a silent supporter afterward.”

Finally, regarding his future plans, he said: “For now, I plan to go on vacation and spend time with my family. I need to recover. I’ve expended a lot of energy, especially considering what happened to me. I didn’t want to—even though I could have—make a decision before or during my time with France. “I have the freedom to choose; I have a choice; I’ll see what happens.”

*photo source: AP