Didier Deschamps has left the United States after the death of his mother, leaving France to prepare for Friday in Foxborough without its head coach on the bench. Guy Stéphan will lead the side against Norway while France tries to finish first in Group I.
A draw is enough for France to take first place. That keeps the team on the track Deschamps described after the win against Iraq, when he said, “l'objectif reste d'obtenir la meilleure place, la première”.
Mbappé and the France squad
Kylian Mbappé posted the squad's support on Tuesday: “Toutes nos pensées vont à notre coach et à l'ensemble de sa famille. Vous n'êtes pas seuls”. The message matched the mood around a group that has had to keep moving through a compressed run of three matches in eight days.
France had already beaten Iraq on Monday, then dealt with a stoppage of more than two hours because of storm risks in Philadelphie. That left the group heading into Friday with little room to lose focus, even with qualification already secured.
Guy Stéphan's sideline task
Stéphan is not just filling space. He is taking charge of the decisions France normally handles with Deschamps in place, including the match-day adjustments that come with a game that still matters for the bracket. Aurélien Tchouaméni remains the vice-captain, so the squad keeps its leadership structure even as the bench changes.
France's route depends on where it finishes. First place sends it to East Rutherford for the round of 16 against a third-place team. Second place sends it to Dallas and would bring Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, or Panama, while France also knows it beat Côte d'Ivoire 2-1 in a friendly in June.
Norway in Foxborough
Norway arrives with its own edge. It has already reached the round of 16 after two wins against Iraq and Sénégal, and Erling Haaland has four goals in the tournament. France still has the sharper immediate task: protect its top spot, handle the absence on the sideline, and get the result that keeps the cleaner path on paper.
