France meet Norway in final Group I clash hoping to retain top spot
Deschamps has returned home after his mother passed away
Stephan will take charge of Les Bleus for the second time
No matter the challenge, including trying personal times, Didier Deschamps knows he can count on his loyal assistant coach and long-standing friend, Guy Stephan. Following the death of his mother, the French head coach left camp the day after his side’s 3-0 victory over Iraq to return home to be with his family. He will miss the , and Stephan will step up to the plate.
As Deschamps and his family come to terms with their loss, Les Bleus have rallied and remain focused on maintaining their impressive run of form. Stephan’s mission is simply to ensure the smoothest possible transition.
“When he [Deschamps] left, he gave us a mission, both the coaching staff and the players,” said midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at the pre-match press conference. “We’re sure Guy will stay true to the coach’s vision; they’re always in touch.”
Since Deschamps’ appointment as head coach in 2012, Stephan has been by his side, experiencing the disappointment of runner-up finishes in EURO 2016 and the FIFA World Cup 2022™, and the ultimate joy of winning the World Cup in 2018. Even when Deschamps, a player at the time, lifted the EURO 2000 trophy in Rotterdam, Stephan was already on the scene – as assistant coach to Roger Lemerre.
A veteran of the game, Stephan has made a name for himself in France. Despite keeping a low profile in the media, he has been hugely influential on Les Bleus’ game. Less well-known outside France, the 69-year-old coach serves as the perfect counterbalance to Deschamps.
“I don’t need him to be a yes-man, which is just as well, because he’s not. He knows how to say no to me. Every day, our discussions help shape my thinking,” the France coach told the newspaper Le Parisien in 2019.
In this period of mourning, Deschamps knows that he could not have left his players in better hands than those of Stephan, whose task on Friday, 26 June, is to secure top spot in Group I.
“Our thoughts – mine, the staff’s and the players’ – are with Didier and his family,” said Stephan at the press conference the day before the clash against Norway. “He is deeply affected by this loss, but I’ve been in regular contact with him; I spoke to him a few minutes ago [before the press conference]. I’ll do my best to ensure continuity during this difficult time. I want to prove myself worthy of the trust he places in me.”
Stephan – a mentor, a fine tactician and sometimes even a father figure – is held in the highest of regards by Deschamps, the coaching staff and the players. Although not always apparent to the public, many of his decisions have had a significant impact on France’s success in recent years.
“We have a great relationship with Guy,” said Tchouameni. “He’s very approachable; he loves a bit of banter, and we get on really well with him. We’re going to do everything it takes to win this match.”
Stephan will be stepping in for Deschamps at short notice for the second time, having done so previously following a 2-1 defeat to Denmark in a UEFA Nations League match in 2022, also following a bereavement. In this difficult period, the French players are determined to make things as easy as possible for him, to secure a third consecutive win and, above all, to offer their head coach some comfort.
Sources: FIFA Official
