From water carrier to serial winner - Deschamps seeks more history

Longevity is simply a uncommon gift successful shot management, but Didier Deschamps has surely been afforded that arsenic France coach.

The 55-year-old has been successful complaint since 2012 and successful that clip he has led his state to 3 retired of 5 imaginable finals and won 1 World Cup.

That occurrence successful 2018 meant he joined a prime fewer who person won a world title some arsenic a head and a player, and this summertime he has nan chance to make much history.

Should he lead France to glory successful Germany, he will go only nan 2nd personification to triumph a European Championship arsenic some a subordinate and a manager, aft German Berti Vogts, and nan first to person achieved nan 'double double'

Not bad for personification who was erstwhile dismissed arsenic a "water carrier".

Deschamps' profession some arsenic a subordinate and an world head stands among nan best.

Widely regarded arsenic 1 of nan champion protect midfielders of his generation, nan erstwhile Marseille, Juventus and Chelsea subordinate won 2 French convention titles, 3 Serie A championships, and 2 Champions League trophies.

His unglamorous yet cardinal domiciled was famously described arsenic that of "a h2o carrier" by his erstwhile France team-mate Eric Cantona, who suggested his domiciled was elemental - triumph nan shot past springiness it to much imaginative team-mates.

"Deschamps gets by because he gives 100%, but he'll ne'er beryllium thing much than a h2o carrier," Cantona said successful an question and reply successful 1996.

"You find players for illustration him connected each thoroughfare corner."

Deschamps could not defy a retort. "How galore players tin you find connected thoroughfare corners who person won 2 European Cups?" he replied.

But successful nan main he did his talking connected nan pitch.

A earthy leader, he became nan youngest skipper to assistance nan Champions League pinch Marseille successful 1993 past led his state to World Cup occurrence 5 years later.

Former France defender Lilian Thuram, who was Deschamps' team-mate successful that 1998 win, told BBC Sport: "Deschamps, nan captain, he was nan 1 who led nan way. He was a existent leader of that team.

"Knowing him then, you tin spot really he became a head and won nan World Cup, because he had that thrust wrong him."

When Deschamps retired from playing successful 2001, moving into guidance seemed nan sensible progression for personification praised passim his profession for his activity skills.

He had spells successful complaint of Monaco, Juventus and Marseille earlier becoming France head successful 2012.

His presence came 2 years aft a catastrophic World Cup successful 2010 for Les Bleus nether Raymond Domenech.

The France squad was fractured, pinch players refusing to train successful protestation astatine nan French Football Federation's determination to nonstop location striker Nicolas Anelka aft he based on pinch Domenech.

Unity was thing Deschamps emphasised supra each other erstwhile he took complaint and he soon fashioned a cohesive broadside that erstwhile again was a unit astatine awesome tournaments.

They reached nan quarter-finals of nan 2014 World Cup, losing to eventual winners Germany, and made nan last of Euro 2016, which they hosted, but were beaten 1-0 by Portugal.

The upward inclination continued, though, arsenic France triumphed astatine nan 2018 World Cup successful Russia.

A important infinitesimal successful that occurrence came aft they hit Argentina 4-3 successful a thrilling last-16 match.

Afterwards, immoderate of nan players had gone retired and were noisy connected their return, waking up those sleeping erstwhile defender Adil Rami sprayed a occurrence extinguisher successful nan edifice corridor.

Philippe Tournon, France's property serviceman astatine nan time, told nan BBC documentary 'How To Win The World Cup' that Deschamps' consequence highlighted his man-management skills.

"My room was adjacent to Didier's and I thought he was fresh to tear them apart," he said.

"Didier had a connection and, pinch his sixth consciousness of his narration pinch nan players and nan unity of nan group, told maine 'if I laic into them it mightiness break thing we've been building for 5 aliases six weeks'."

Deschamps, of course, is not flawless and aft they were knocked retired of Euro 2020 successful nan past 16 by Switzerland he was criticised for getting his strategies and squad selections wrong.

He responded to nan critics and doubters by starring France to their 2nd successive World Cup last successful Qatar 2 years later, wherever they were beaten connected penalties by Argentina aft a thrilling 3-3 draw.

During that World Cup run, Deschamps was again praised by those who played for him.

“Our coach believes successful america being a group, being a team,” striker Antoine Griezmann said.

“We’re a group that lives good together. I spot it successful training, too. Everyone gives 100 per cent and we person nan cleanable set-up to return america arsenic acold arsenic possible."

The French Football Federation agreed, rewarded Deschamps pinch a caller statement to support him successful complaint of France until nan 2026 World Cup.

France are among nan favourites to triumph successful Germany and assistance their first European Championship successful 24 years.

Should they succeed, nan "water carrier" will person earned nan correct to beryllium considered arguably nan top world head of each time.