Deschamps avoided an end-of-year meal with the 1998 World Cup winning squad

France boss Didier Deschamps has lost the support of his former team-mates after failing to attend multiple events in the past year, according to reports.

The national team coach - who watched his side lose on penalties in the World Cup final last month - has come under fire in recent weeks after signing a new contract as Les Bleus boss.

There had been claims that Zinedine Zidane was ready to step into the role and, after falling out with his former national team-mates, Deschamps has quickly become an isolated figure in French football.

Tensions began developing in December 2021, when the annual end-of-year meal held for France's 1998 World Cup winning squad was organised.

Deschamps was obviously invited - having been captain at the time - but did not attend the event. Zinédine Zidane, Fabien Barthez, Youri Djorkaeff, Lilian Thuram and others were all in attendance.

According to L'Equipe, one member said: 'Everyone is invited and we hope that Didier will be there this time. He has his place. We are like a family.

'There are ups and downs, quarrels and stories but something very strong has united us for almost twenty-five years.'

The 2022 dinner was scheduled at the beginning of December - but with Deschamps and others in Qatar for the World Cup - it was postponed. It's unlikely the national team coach will attend the rescheduled event in January.

Deschamps' decision to miss the annual event was compounded by the fact he had missed a former team-mate's birthday just a few months prior.

The national coach was invited to the 50th birthday party of Zinedine Zidane - which was held in Marrakech - but opted against attending.

A member of the association told the French outlet: 'He was well invited' but the coach denied the invite 'for several reasons'.

Deschamps had just lost his father just a month prior and left France duty to spend time with his family and attend the funeral.

At the time, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet said: 'It is with great sadness that I have heard of the passing of Didier's father this morning. Didier went to join his relatives and I assure him of my friendship and my support in this ordeal.'

During his time as France manager, Deschamps has struck up a close bond with the former FFF president Le Graet. However, this relationship has ended up causing more fractions between the France 1998 squad.

Le Graet - who had been FFF president since 2011 - sparked chaos in French media after denouncing the managerial abilities of national legend Zinedine Zidane and handing Deschamps a four-year contract extension.

The majority of the 1998 World Cup squad believed that Deschamps should've been quicker to call out the statements of Le Graet - such as Kylian Mbappe did.

It led to Deschamps being criticised by former team-mate Christophe Dugarry, who said: 'We have the impression that he [Deschamps] has chosen his [La Graet's] side a bit, it's the Fed, it's his job.

'I do not want to betray a secret but we communicated. We have a WhatsApp group. Honestly, we're all shocked. We touch our Zizou! There, for once, we are all in solidarity. We all feel attacked.'

Dugarry admits Deschamps was omitted from the WhatsApp group but confirms the manager 'didn't block' his old team-mates.

'But he didn't block his account as I heard,' said Dugarry. 'He simply wasn't there when we created it during a meal. It's usually used for sleeping or wishing each other a happy birthday.'

Le Graet later confessed he'd 'been an idiot' over his dismissive comments about Zidane in the meeting that led to him being suspended.

Amid ongoing allegations about his private conduct, Le Graet agreed to step aside from his job at a high-level meeting of the federation's executive committee last week.

Deputy vice-president Philippe Diallo is to take over Le Graet's role and also that of general manager Florence Hardouin, who was also removed.