LAGOS JUNE 27TH (NEWSRANGERS)-France manager Didier Deschamps missed his team’s group stage match Friday against Norway at the 2026 World Cup due to the death of his mother.
The French Football Federation intended to honor their absent manager’s mother by wearing black armbands during the match, but FIFA declined the request according to The Athletic’s Amy Lawrence.
There was also an apparent miscommunication about a tribute before the game, as the FFF reportedly told journalists that there would be a minute’s silence in honor of Deschamps’ mother. Minutes later, the FFF issued a clarification that FIFA told them the silence was actually arranged for the victims of the deadly earthquake in Venezuela.
Deschamps has been France’s manager since 2012 and has overseen a World Cup title in 2018 and runner-up finish in 2022. The French squad is among the top favorites this year as well, with superstars Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé both in the Golden Boot race.
With longtime assistant coach Guy Stéphan leading the squad, France burst out to a 4-1 win over Norway that included Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, posting the second-quickest hat trick in World Cup history.
The win gave France a perfect 3-0 record in group play. Their reward will be a matchup against a third-place team at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday.
YahooSports
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