Didier Deschamps comes to the World Cup not only as a world champion, but also as the oldest coach among the 32 coaches who will come to Qatar.
For the Portuguese Carlos Quiros - coach of Iran - this will be the fourth World Cup, and for Deschamps it will be the third, but he has been in the position for ten and a half years in a row, longer than any of the others.
Only three people in history have won the World Cup both as players and then as coaches.
The Brazilian Mario Zagallo was the first, the German Franz Beckenbauer was the second - and then Deschamps arrived.
When France won its first World Cup in 1998 he was the captain who lifted the trophy in Paris, and four and a half years ago he was the one who led the tricolor team to its second victory - this time he was on the lines.
France is one of the favorites to win the World Cup in Qatar as well, although it does not arrive in optimal condition.
Two of the stars of the 2018 victory, midfielders Paul Pogba and Angelo Kante, were injured at the wrong time and are not included in the squad that Deschamps announced on Wednesday.
Deschamps as a player in the French uniform, photo: Allsport
But in the four years that have passed since the victory in Russia, some great young talents have emerged in the team, such as Real Madrid's favorite duo, Orléan Choumani and Eduardo Camabinga.
In the squad published by Deschamps, there are only ten of the 23 for Russia 2018, along with 15 new names, with the most prominent among them being, of course, Karim Benzema, who won the "Golden Ball" only about a month ago.
Although he is already 34 years old (Karim will celebrate 35 the day after the final match), for Benzema this will be the second World Cup in his career.
In 2010, although he was already in Real Madrid, he was not included in the final squad.
In 2014, he played and even scored three goals until France was eliminated in the quarter-finals, but the striker was not a part of France's victory in 2018, at a time when he was suspended from the national team due to the blackmail affair in which he was involved.
Deschamps then supported keeping Benzema at home, but since then their relationship has warmed up, and Karim has nothing bad to say about the coach who agreed to bring him back and give him one last chance to become a world champion.
Benzema.
Deschamps obliged him, photo: AFP
Zizou warming up in the back?
France have a fearsome attack.
With all due respect to Benzema, the symbol of the team and its biggest star is Kylian Mbappe, who in Russia was the youngest scorer in the final since Pele in 1958.
The concern in France is mainly in everything related to defense.
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is already well past his prime, and top stoppers Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpamba have recently suffered injuries.
Deschamps clarified that he included the two in the squad only after making sure that they were already fit.
For with him it is a law: anyone who is not 100 percent qualified will not be included in the roster.
Deschamps received the appointment in July 2012, after France's failure in the European Championship, and replaced Laurent Blanc (today coach of Lyon) and since then he has held the position, longer than any other coach in French history.
His record in the 132 games is excellent: 84 wins, 27 draws and only 21 losses.
Deschamps.
Probably the last World Cup, photo: AFP
If we add to that his 103 games as a player, between 1989 and 2000, we are talking about a man who has served the national team in 235 games in the last 33 years.
If France does win the cup on December 18 at the Bluesail Stadium, two historic events will occur: first, France will be the first team in 60 years to retain the title (Brazil did it in 1962), and second - Deschamps will become only the second coach in history to win two cups world.
The only one who has done this to date is the Italian Vittorio Pozzo, and it happened 84 years ago!
In France, there are quite a few people who are convinced that at the end of the World Cup, even if he wins the cup and certainly if not, Deschamps will finish his part in the national team and the person who will replace him will be Zinedine Zidane.
"Zizou", who collaborated with Deschamps both in the national team and in Juventus, hinted at this not long ago when he said: "I don't miss the coach's suit, but it's not far, we're waiting, a little more, a little while."
And what did Deschamps have to say about it?
In an interview with "Athletic" he said: "I haven't heard anything and I'm never worried about myself. I still have the same passion and the same determination. I'm not in this position to have fun, I'm here to win."
Zidane with Benzema.
Will they reunite soon?, Photo: AFP
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