Deschamps eyes winning farewell despite France's 'meaningless' third-place playoff

France head coach Didier Deschamps is set to bring the curtain down on his national team tenure in Saturday's FIFA World Cup third-place playoff against England, insisting his side will chase victory despite admitting neither team wanted to play the match.

France, beaten in the semifinals after reaching the last two World Cup finals, will face England in the third-place playoff at Miami. While both camps have described the fixture as lacking significance, Deschamps said wearing the France shirt still carries the responsibility to compete for victory.

"This isn't a friendly. It's a third-place playoff. Our duty is to achieve this final objective," Deschamps said ahead of what will be his final match in charge of Les Bleus.

Defender Ibrahima Konaté echoed his coach's sentiments, jokingly referring to the bronze medal as a "chocolate medal." However, he stressed the squad is determined to give Deschamps a winning send-off.

"We didn't want to play this match, but we have no choice. The coach has done so much for France, and we want to thank him by winning his final game," Konaté said.

Deschamps, who guided France to multiple major finals during his tenure, urged his players to stay focused on securing third place while downplaying the emotions surrounding his farewell.

"I know this is my last match, but I don't want anyone to cry. The end is near, but life goes on," he said.