By David AFOLABI
In the absence of coach Didier Deschamps, who has gone back home to bury his mother, France star Aurelien Tchouameni said his team were aiming to make their coach “as proud as possible.”
They go into their final World Cup group game against Norway on Friday.
“It is a difficult time for everyone. Our objective is to make him as proud as possible,” Real Madrid midfielder Tchouameni told reporters at France’s base near Boston on Thursday.
Deschamps learned the news of his mother’s death on Tuesday and has flown back to France to attend the funeral on Friday, before he then returns to the United States to be with his squad.
“I am thinking a lot about Didier and his family. We are deeply affected by what has happened,” said assistant coach Guy Stephan, who will lead the team in their final Group I match against the Norwegians at Gillette Stadium.
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“I am just trying to make a difficult situation as normal as possible.”
For Deschamps, the news came the day after France beat Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia to make it two wins out of two at the tournament and seal their place in the knockout stages.
“Didier called me early in the morning, so I went to see him in his room,” said Stephan.
“He told me the bad news and very quickly he asked me to lead the team until he gets back, which will be on Saturday.”
Stephan, 69, previously took charge of the France team for a UEFA Nations League game in 2022, following the death of Deschamps’ father.
“I feel like I don’t belong here in front of you. I belong on the training ground,” Stephan added.
“This is a cruel situation for Didier and his family and so we need to just get through the third match.”
France and Norway are level on six points each from two games, meaning both have qualified already. But France have a superior goal difference so will advance as group winners with a draw.
The winners of Group I will play a last-32 tie against a third-placed finisher in New Jersey on June 30.
The group runners-up will play in Dallas the same day against the runners-up in Group E.
Arsenal centre-back William Saliba will not feature for France against Norway as he nurses a back problem.
Stephan indicated that Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace will replace him in the starting line-up.
