France may have entered the World Cup last 16 with another impressive performance, but manager Didier Deschamps insisted on Tuesday that his side are still a long way from the finished article and that there is always room for improvement as the quality of the opposition increases.
France eased past Sweden 3-0 to book a meeting with Paraguay, but Deschamps felt the scoreline could have been even more emphatic after his side squandered a series of chances in the first half.
“We did what we had to do, even if we were a bit timid in the first 15 minutes,” he told a news conference.
«After that we showed that we are capable of creating chances. The only regret is that we weren’t clinical enough in the first half. We could have put the game to bed earlier, but we let them run so much that it became easier after the break.»
Deschamps was pleased his team had cleared the first knockout hurdle comfortably, but warned that tougher tests lay ahead.
«The knockout stages are difficult for everyone, even though we made it a little easier for ourselves today. We are only in the last sixteen,» he said.
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Deschamps was also determined to keep expectations in check despite France expanding their status as one of the tournament favourites.
«We will not get carried away. We will enjoy being here and will come back down to earth within 48 hours,» he said.
«We know what awaits us in four days. First we take the time to enjoy this victory, then we have to be ready to do it all over again.»
THIRTEEN OBJECTIVES IN FOUR MATCHES
France dazzled throughout the tournament, scoring thirteen goals, but also conceding chances. Deschamps believes that his team must continue to develop if they want to lift the trophy for the third time.
«We have to keep raising our standards because the opposition will only get stronger. They will attack better and defend better,» he said. «There are still areas we need to improve. We had a few too many chances, even though (goalkeeper) Mike (Maignan) was excellent. We need to adjust our positioning a bit, but the players are communicating a lot with each other.»
Despite these caveats, Deschamps praised the collective effort underlying France’s impressive performance. «There is a very strong bond when we have the ball against deep defensive opponents, and when we lose it, everyone is willing to work hard. Everyone is involved,» he said. «I am satisfied and proud of that. Now we have to maintain it and keep repeating.»
Published on July 1, 2026
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