Iconic French football manager and former player Didier Deschamps is one of only three men to have won the FIFA World Cup as both a coach and player. Famously nicknamed “the water carrier” by his former France teammate Eric Cantona, Deschamps was a hard-working, intelligent defensive midfielder who was capped an impressive 103 times, captaining his nation to victories at Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup. As a coach, he led France out of a slump to become a formidable force in world soccer once again, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the final of UEFA Euro 2016 and finally lifting the 2018 FIFA World Cup as champions.
Born in Bayonne, Deschamps kicked off his football career as a school boy at amateur team Aviron Bayonnais and was spotted by scouts from Nantes. He made his league debut on 27th September 1985 and joined Marseilles four years later where he became the youngest captain in history to lift the Champions League trophy as part of the first French side to win the title. He went on to win three Serie A titles with Juventus as well as a second Champions League title and also played for English premier league side Chelsea, where he won the FA Cup. Deschamps also captained France as they won the 1998 World Cup in Paris, and at the time of his retirement held the record for the most appearances for his country.
At the age of 32 Deschamps retired as a player and began to pursue his coaching career at Monaco, helping the club reach the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final and winning the Coupe de la Ligue. Named manager of the French national team in 2012, in 2018 he guided France to victory in the FIFA World Cup.