France are determined to complete the World Cup group stage with a perfect record and are playing for their coach Didier Deschamps, who has left the camp to attend the funeral of his mother.
The news broke on Tuesday and a video showed the squad forming a circle ahead of Wednesday training and observing a minute of silence.
“We are thinking closely of our national coach and his family,” the French team wrote. Captain Kylian Mbappé added the message, “You are not alone.”
Deschamps' mother's death has overshadowed preparations for Friday's match in Foxborough against Norway, which Les Bleus enter top of Group I on goal difference ahead of their Scandinavian rivals. Both are already through to the last 32.
But it could also bring the squad, currently coached by assistant Guy Stéphan, even closer together.
Federation president Philippe Diallo said in a video on X: “He is going through a difficult time right now. We are standing together as one during this period.”
France fans hope the World Cup in North America becomes the crowning achievement of Deschamps' 14 years in charge, which will end after the tournament, with Zinédine Zidane expected to follow.
Deschamps led his side to glory in the 2018 World Cup and they were runners-up in 2022 as well as at Euro 2016. France also won the Nations League in 2021.
Another World Cup title on July 19 would be the third for France, but also for Deschamps given he was the captain of the team that lifted the trophy for the first time in 1998.
Deschamps announced that he will step down long before the tournament and said: “I’m not counting every day, I’m enjoying every day.”
If he succeeds again he will join Italy's Vittorio Pozzo (1934, 1938) in winning two World Cups as a coach.
Deschamps is expected to return to the team on Saturday for the knock-out rounds and will hope that his players will have won the group.
For that they must avoid defeat against Norway in what will be a fascinating duel of striker stars Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Both have four goals for the tournament and Mbappé is just two behind Lionel Messi's all-time World Cup goals record of 18.
France defender Dayot Upamecano is looking ahead confidently to a showdown with Haaland.
"It's been a while since we last played each other. Today I have more experience, around 200 games for Bayern and 40 for the France national team. I am better prepared than ever to face him," Upamecano told L'Équipe.
"You always have one eye on the ball and the other on him. If he gets away from you, it's hard to catch him because he's incredibly fast. Paradoxically, playing against Haaland is more a battle of movement than a pure physical battle.
"He won't touch the ball 50 times, we all know that. He will want two or three touches but he will play those two or three at full intensity so you also have to be there at full intensity."
