The Les Bleus head coach has no plans to move into club management and wants to see the Chelsea star awarded the top individual prize in football
Didier Deschamps has opened the door to extending his contract with France, while adding to the calls for N’Golo Kante to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or.
Deschamps is currently preparing Les Bleus for this summer’s European Championships, where they will be aiming to go one better than their appearance in the 2016 final.
The 52-year-old is into the ninth year of his reign in charge of the national team but only has 12 months remaining on his current deal, and hopes to be offered fresh terms after overseeing their latest major tournament.
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What has been said?
“I may continue after 2022 with the agreement of my president,” Deschamps told RTL. “People have to want to keep me and for that you need results. I will do something else at some point, but I am thriving in this role of manager.
“I have a contract until December 2022, but today I am not thinking of becoming a club coach. I am very happy, all the conditions are met.”
Deschamps’ record as France manager
Deschamps has been on the touchline for France’s last 112 matches across all competitions, recording 74 wins, 20 draws and 18 losses.
Les Bleus reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup under his stewardship before winning the competition four years later in Russia, beating Croatia 4-2 in the final.
Praise for Kante
Kante has been touted as a potential winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or after another exceptional season at Chelsea, who he helped win the second Champions League crown in their history last month.
France team-mate Paul Pogba has been among those to endorse the midfielder for football’s most prestigious individual prize, and Deschamps agrees that he would be a deserving winner.
“N’Golo, he doesn’t have the record of a striker,” the France boss added. “He can score a few goals but because of what he does everyone must have watched his last games, especially the Champions League final, N’Golo is also a driving force.
“The Ballon d’Or? He deserves it. You know the criteria as well as I do, it mainly concerns offensive players. When there was a defender or a midfielder, it was because there was no attacking player who had really marked the football year.
“He is one of those driving forces of the France team too, he has a place – it is not in relation to his size by saying that he is small, but he is huge!”
Further reading
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Pogba backs Kante to beat Messi & Ronaldo to Ballon d’Or
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Benzema misses penalty in France return
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Benzema relaxed about reuniting with Giroud for France
