"I hope he will say yes" - French football president hopes Didier Deschamps will stay beyond World Cup

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It will be up to Didier Deschamps to decide whether he remains France's head coach after the World Cup 2022, according to French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.

Deschamps took over as France boss in 2012 and has since led Les Bleus to a World Cup title as well as the Euro 2016 final, having previously won 103 caps during his playing career.

His France beat England 2-1 in the quarterfinal on Saturday to keep their hopes alive of defending a World Cup win successfully, first time since Brazil managed to do it in 1962. France's next opponents are the tournament high-flyers Morocco, who have punched above their weights and have qualified for the semifinal as the first African nation in history.

Deschamps' contract is due to expire after the tournament, with rumours persisting that former Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane could be in line to take over the role.

But according to the French president Le Graet, the post is for Deschamps if he wishes to stay put.

"We are lucky to have a good coach [Deschamps], good technical staff, " Le Graet told L'Equipe.

"The players need to be reassured, we really have a team of high-quality managers around them. Didier Deschamps has not lost his touch. He exudes happiness, the players too, it shows.

"The question of extending is totally up to him. Finding a coach of this quality is not easy. It is he who decides, I hope he will say yes. But it still deserves, especially on his part, a reflection," he concluded.

Should Deschamps stay as France manager:

Didier Deschamps will be tempted to take a new adventure after the World Cup. After a decade of service to French football, he has nothing to prove. Deschamps has given his country a World Cup glory, and if they can win this one as well, it will be icing on the cake. He may well be longing to take the taste of club football and focus to rack up some more silverware there. Plenty of top European clubs will be lurking around to have the Frenchman and that won't be a bad idea.

But Deschamps may decide to stay as France boss for the upcoming Euro 2024. In 2016, France came agonisingly close to winning the Euros, but failed to do so in the final. Last year, they were shocked by Switzerland and bowed out of the tournament. Hence Deschamps may have that one glory in his mind and he may love to get his hands on that before his French swansong.

(with inputs from Omnisport)