Didier Deschamps will be absent from France's final World Cup group stage clash against Norway following the death of his mother. The head coach will fly back to his homeland from the United States to attend her funeral, handing the reins to assistant coach Guy Stephan, who will take charge in his absence.
France Already Qualified for Knockout Rounds
Having secured victories in their opening two group stage fixtures against Iraq and Senegal, Les Bleus have already booked their place in the knockout rounds, along with their forthcoming opponents. Friday's match will decide who finishes top of Group I. Deschamps, however, will not be present in Boston as the group stage draws to a close.
French Football Federation Statement
The French Football Federation released a statement on Tuesday, saying: "Didier Deschamps will not be able to oversee training sessions ahead of the Norway v France match. He will also be absent from the bench for Friday's final Group I game. The national team coach learned this morning of the death of his mother and will return to France to attend her funeral. In agreement with Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, who is currently at the France team's base camp, Deschamps has entrusted assistant coach Guy Stephan with responsibility for leading the squad until his return."
Guy Stephan's Experience
Stephan has spent the past 17 years serving as Deschamps' assistant, initially at Marseille before joining up with the national side. He also previously worked under Roger Lemerre during France's triumphant Euro 2000 campaign and their Confederations Cup victory the following year. Having departed France following those two successful tournaments, Stephan took the reins as Senegal coach after the 2002 World Cup. He remained in the post for nearly three years before being relieved of his duties, marking his last head-coaching role.
Stephan also served as an assistant to Raymond Domenech, who would later manage France, during his time at Lyon. He had previously worked under Jean Tigana at the club before taking charge himself in 1995. The former forward spent just a single season at Lyon before later embarking on one year at Bordeaux. Stephan subsequently went on to manage France's under-17 side, before stepping up to the senior national team setup.
