Didier Deschamps

Walid Regragui, the Morocco coach who will be facing France in the semi-finals, has since added: “France made me dream in 2018 with the way they played.

Deschamps has repeatedly proven that he is not just the best man for France but, should he retain the World Cup, it’s difficult to make a case that any international coach has matched his achievements. While a seemingly impregnable Morocco team remain dangerous, France are favourites to win the tournament. However, Deschamps has re-energised his group masterfully – the wild celebrations after beating England show divisions are minimal – and produced an effective first team despite zero preparation. They are anti-risk rather than anti-attack – as shown by Regragui’s snappy transitions and bold use of the ball; Southgate’s precise, if never flamboyant, attacking strategies; and Deschamps’ dynamic use of Kylian Mbappé’s individual quality, Antoine Griezmann’s deployment as a bridge between midfield and attack, and the striker Olivier Grioud’s understanding of space. In Regragui’s eight games in charge, since previous coach Vahid Halilhodzic was removed before the tournament due to his fractious relationship with senior players, Morocco have conceded only once – an Aguerd own goal in their Although solid against England, the centre-back-turned-right-back Jules Koundé has previously looked uncertain in that role. Walid Regragui, the Morocco coach who will be facing France in the semi-finals, has since added: “France made me dream in 2018 with the way they played. France, meanwhile, were a post away from winning Euro 2016, triumphed in Russia in 2018, and are now favourites to win a second successive World Cup under Deschamps. The centre-back Dayot Upamecano was fortunate to avoid the consequences of various errors against England, and the gung-ho Hernández has looked easily unsettled defensively. Southgate engineered England’s first World Cup semi-final in 28 years in 2018, before guiding the men’s team to their first appearance in a major final since 1966 at the Euros last summer. Although winning a World Cup is far more complicated than simply having the best players – something Deschamps also acutely understands, as he has shown by placing squad harmony above all else – both teams are expected to compete for trophies. [World Cup](https://www.theguardian.com/football/world-cup-football), Didier Deschamps’ growing status as international football’s ideological spearhead may be the most surprising.