Didier Deschamps will end his 14-year tenure as France head coach following Saturday's third-place play-off, capping a tournament in which he set a record by managing his 26th World Cup match, surpassing Helmut Schön's previous benchmark.
The semi-final exit — coming after Spain defeated France 2-0 on Tuesday in Arlington — denies Les Bleus a return to the final after their 2018 triumph and 2022 runner-up finish. France will face either Argentina or England in the third-place match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami this weekend.
The defeat laid bare France's struggles in possession. Tactical analyst Jan Henkel, reviewing the match on MagentaTV, identified more than 70 misplaced passes, with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise singled out for frequent turnovers that undermined any sustained offensive threat.