Stacy Boit,

The World Cup will mark the end of an era as Didier Deschamps prepares to wave goodbye to France after the finals.

Already a World Cup-winning captain in 1998, Deschamps became only the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a manager in 2018 when he led France to the biggest prize in football.

When France play their final game at the World Cup it will be the end of a 14-year tenure, and in Monday’s friendly with Northern Ireland in Lille, the 57-year-old will lead his nation for one final time on home soil before they head to the USA.

It is likely to be a night filled with emotion.

“I can imagine the state of mind of Didier after all this time spent with the French team,” midfielder Adrien Rabiot said.

“We’re all human beings, we have compassion, we have emotions and everything that comes along with it.

“The coach has done a great job with the French team and I hope that he will be celebrated, because he deserves it.”

As Rabiot predicts, celebrations in Lille are likely.

In their previous game in Nantes on Thursday – a surprise 2-1 defeat by the Ivory Coast – fans paid tribute to Deschamps by holding up cardboard cut outs which bore his image during the match.

But for the manager, he is not letting his own farewell take away from the team’s send off.

“Ever since I came in to camp, there’s lots of things that I’ve done for the last time, so I’m not trying to think about all these things.

“I’m not too sad, I’m not going to be happy about it. What’s important for me is beyond my personal case.”

Deschamps, who has also guided France to the last World Cup final, the Euro 2016 final and the Nations League title in 2021, thanked the French support for the gesture.

Les Bleus will play Senegal, Iraq and Erling Haaland’s Norway in Group I in the USA, and Deschamps wants “the positive things” from fans before they head to the finals.

“The tribute was nice, and even though it was during the match and the players were playing, I was trying to be focused on what’s happening on the field,” he added.

“These two matches in France before we leave for the US, being close to the supporters and lots of the people who are not able to go to the US, we’re trying to get as much energy, trying to get as much good vibes from the supporters as we can, and these are positive things for the French team.”