Vittorio Pozzo was a coaching revolutionary known as ‘the Old Master’ who invented the 4-3-3 formation but whose accomplishments are often forgotten because Italy was a Fascist dictatorship in the 1930s.
However, he remains the only coach to have won back-to-back men’s World Cups. For the time being at least.
Didier Deschamps now has the opportunity to join Pozzo when France play Argentina this Sunday and while few in decades to come will remember the pragmatic Deschamps as a football visionary, the scarcity of his achievement would make him immortal.
Didier Deschamps hugs Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann after France beat England
Les Bleus’ 2-0 win over Morocco in the semi-final has taken them to the brink of more history
After succeeding in Russia four years ago, Deschamps has once again steered France to the cusp of glory. This time, he has overcome an injury pile-up, sickness, player rivalries and the looming shadow of Zinedine Zidane wanting his job.
While he retains critics in the French commentariat who say his brand of football isn’t exciting enough in relation to the talents at his disposal, it’s abundantly clear that he knows how to win games and win tournaments.
If that means France lapse into spells of passivity when they defend in numbers and weather storms before counter-punching, then so be it.
They enjoyed only 42 per cent of the ball in their quarter-final with England and created half as many chances as Gareth Southgate’s side – but they still prevailed.
France also rode their luck at times in Wednesday night’s semi-final with Morocco, this time seeing only 38 per cent of the ball, but they survived and took what chances came their way.
France rode their luck at times against both England and Morocco – but the tournament pragmatism of Deschamps ensured they progressed to yet another World Cup final
Theo Hernandez improvised well to give France an early advantage in their win over Morocco
Randal Kolo Muani, just on as a sub, then tapped home France’s second to seal their victory
The current French vintage may not produce the ‘champagne football’ of Platini’s 1984 European champions or even the 1998 World Cup winners Deschamps captained, but most people aren’t going to care if they beat Argentina.
Deschamps has brought evolution to the French side as well. If you look at the team that started the win over Croatia in the 2018 final, only Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud are likely to play this time around.
Part of the reason for that has been injuries – Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante would surely have played a considerable part in Qatar if not crocked – but the willingness to adapt only makes Deschamps look more impressive.
Their absence has forced France to look to the future with Aurelien Tchouameni and Youssef Fofana emerging.
Ultimately, it’s Deschamps’ lack of a philosophy or even a set formation that has profited France. They are talented and intelligent enough to adapt to every situation.
Aurelien Tchouameni has been one of the French success stories at the Qatar World Cup
Deschamps continues to reinvent Antoine Griezmann’s role but he always performs brilliantly
Antoine Griezmann, who is a strong candidate to be the best player of this World Cup, is a very good example.
When Deschamps came into the job in 2012, Griezmann functioned on the left wing. By Euro 2016, he’d switched to the right but when France won in 2018, he’d been repositioned as a No 10.
The result was that Griezmann scored four goals and set up four more, with all his assists coming from the quarter-final onwards.
All of sudden, he’s been reinvented as a No 8 with a roaming brief in the absence of Pogba and is producing some of his best international form some 116 caps into his career.
‘I ask different things of him. There is no sacrifice on his part, because he is so generous that he takes pleasure both when he touches the ball and when he passes,’ Deschamps said of Griezmann.
Griezmann was playing a totally different role when France won in 2018 but happily adapts
The French players celebrate their 4-2 victory over Croatia to win the last World Cup in 2018
In response, the Atletico Madrid player said he ‘owes Deschamps everything’, adding: ‘Every move, every game is like a “thank you” I am sending him. I want him to be proud of me.’
It’s just one example of how Deschamps continues to carry France forward by making the best use of his players.
Adrien Rabiot is another one to be given a new lease of life. Four years ago, he refused to be put on France’s stand-by list, emailing Deschamps to turn down their training programme.
Now Rabiot is very much back in the fold and proving very handy indeed.
Other successes during this World Cup have included Theo Hernandez at left-back, the central defensive partnership of Raphael Varane and Dayot Upamecano, and the enduring brilliance of Olivier Giroud up front.
This has helped them compensate for the absence of the prolific Karim Benzema with a thigh injury, although Deschamps was coy on whether the Real Madrid man may return for the final.
There has been mounting speculation that Karim Benzema could yet play a part in the final
Deschamps gave a cryptic response when asked if Benzema could still feature in the final
A rare peace has broken out in a French tournament squad as well. Infighting in their dressing room or friction between coaching and playing staff have ruined previous World Cups.
Pogba’s injury blow eliminated any risk of friction with star man Mbappe over the bizarre ‘witchcraft’ claims earlier this year and everything else has been calm.
You only have to look at the wild dressing room celebrations after the win over Morocco to see how united this France squad is – and how much more dangerous this makes them as a force.
If France retain their world crown on Sunday, it will surely scotch suggestions that Deschamps is going to be replaced by Zidane anytime soon.
France’s players certainly celebrated in style after beating Morocco to reach another final
Antoine Griezmann (pictured) grabbed the speaker and wandered around the changing room
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni (pictured) appeared to be thrown onto the table
The one thing Deschamps is first and foremost is anti-risk and some believe only his former team-mate Zidane can make the team more cavalier and exciting.
Pressure had mounted during a poor Nations League campaign this year and reports that Zidane is turning down club offers so he can take over the national team are never too far away.
But Zizou may have to reconsider. Deschamps would be gold-plated heading towards Euro 2024 and free to choose his own departure point.
There has been constant speculation that Zinedine Zidane wants to take over the France team
But Deschamps will surely be allowed to choose his own departure point if France win again
After over a decade in the job, two World Cup wins, a European Championship final and Nations League success, Deschamps may decide enough is enough.
But the past few weeks have shown his capacity for reinventing even the very best in his own calm, unfussy manner remains undiminished.
Whatever happens against Argentina, Deschamps deserves more admiration than he receives.
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