According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Deschamps discussed his standing in world football during a lengthy interview, and also mentioned Mbappe's importance to the French team.
Six days later, the French team will play Senegal in their first FIFA World Cup match at 19:00 UTC time on June 16. Before then, the French team will continue to refine their preparations and familiarize themselves with the environment at their base in Boston.
Before heading to the United States, Deschamps gave a rather personal interview to The Guardian last weekend, which was published on Tuesday evening. The French coach first spoke about the recognition he receives from outside, "perhaps stronger abroad." He said: "I know this well, because I travel frequently, and the perception abroad is different from in France."
The playing style of Deschamps' French team is often mentioned by outsiders. The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner stated that even if outsiders label his team as "defensive and restricted," it does not prevent the team from achieving results.
When asked if he was about to experience his last major tournament as coach of the French team, he said it "did not interest him." However, The Guardian also noted that there are many people who want to learn from the 57-year-old coach. Southgate, Tuchel, "a good coach whom I greatly admire, and we often communicate." Ancelotti, Flick, have all maintained close contact with this coach, who has led his team to three major tournament finals and won a UEFA Nations League title, for 14 years.
Deschamps believes the key to success is adaptation. "I'll think: 'I need to adapt to the people in front of me.' This leads to adjustments... It's not because we've done it this way and it worked well that we don't need to change. Nor is it change for the sake of change."
Mbappe is a key core player in the French team, and his role as captain is also special. Deschamps said: "Even before becoming captain, he was already very willing to listen and very focused... He takes on this leadership role both on and off the field, and he knows that when he speaks, he's not speaking for himself, but for all the players."
As for Mbappe playing as a center forward for the French team and being questioned for it, Deschamps chose to respond humorously: "I must be stupid, and he must have encountered many stupid coaches in the teams he's played for to put him in the middle... For the past two years at Real Madrid, plus his last year at Paris Saint-Germain... he has been playing in the middle for three years."
Deschamps also disagreed with the idea that his system of using four forwards might affect the French team's balance. "In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we already had four starting forwards."
Deschamps is full of confidence in his team and accepts that he will leave his coaching mark no matter what. He will begin the final chapter of his career as coach of the French team with this calmness. As for his future whereabouts, he will have to wait: "I will not make any decisions until after the FIFA World Cup."