Didier Deschamps declared France’s second World Cup success as “just as beautiful” as their first after guiding them to the title on Sunday, saying his players’ lives had changed for ever.
Deschamps, 49, led his side to a dramatic 4-2 victory in the final against Croatia at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, when he became the third man in history to capture football's greatest prize as both a player and a manager. The former midfielder had captained France to their only other world crown, in 1998.
The France players gatecrashed Deschamps’ post-match press conference, soaking him with drinks before embracing him and singing his name.
“They are young and they are happy,” Deschamps said. “They are crazy. From tonight, I am sorry for them, but they will be different. They will not be the same, they are world champions.
“Maybe they can win other titles, and I don't want to undermine other titles. But when you are a player, if you are world champion, nothing comes above that."
Deschamps has now entered a very select club, joining Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer as the only men to win the World Cup on the pitch and in the dugout. Deschamps was an integral part of the team who lifted the trophy on home soil two decades ago.
“I don’t want to talk about me, but what I remember is my own history and that is linked to these players’ adventure,” he said. “I had the immense privilege to live through this 20 years ago, and in France. But what the players have just done is just as beautiful, just as powerful.
“I have a son who is 22 now. When we were champions he was too young to understand. His generation now have this happiness to live through.”
France were largely outplayed by Croatia, but Deshamps praised his “warriors’” fortitude, saying: “The players knew why they were there. They had to get that star [on the jersey], that shining star, which is wonderful.”
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Read more:
Report: France win the World Cup with 4-2 victory over Croatia
WATCH: Paris landmarks celebrate France World Cup win
2018 World Cup team of the tournament: France players dominate
Interactive: How the World Cup's key players rated
Zlatko Dalic tells crestfallen Croatia players 'hold your heads up high'
Comment: Deschamps deserves full credit for steering France to deserved World Cup glory
Gary Meenaghan: Croatia can stand tall after coming up short in World Cup final
In pictures: France v Croatia in World Cup final
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France won in large part thanks to Kylian Mbappe. The Paris Saint-Germain forward, 19, has been one of the standouts in Russia, scoring his side’s fourth in the final - and his fourth this past month - to underscore his award as the tournament’s best young player. In finding the net, Mbappe became only the second teenager to do so in a World Cup final. Pele was the other, in 1958.
Event still, much more is expected from Mbappe.
"Mbappe is only 19 years old. I hope he will be a world champion again," Deschamps said. "He has done so much already. But you never know.
“Twenty years ago, David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry were 19 years old. But they didn't become world champions again. Today, my players are world champions. My greatest joy, my happiness, is linked to theirs."
Mbappe added: “The road was long but it was worth it. We are proud to make the French happy. We had this role to help them forget all their problems. I do not just want to be in football, but rather to be world champion.”
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Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
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Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
England XI for second Test
Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net
MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
