Didier Deschamps

Didier Deschamps is one of only three people in football history to win the World Cup as both captain and manager—a feat he achieved in 1998 as France's captain and in 2018 as their manager. His 2018 squad, featuring Kylian Mbappé (19), Antoine Griezmann, and N'Golo Kanté, was one of the deepest in tournament history, averaging 2.3 goals per game in the knockout stages. At 13+ years, he is the longest-serving France manager in the modern era, outperforming #2 Vicente del Bosque's 4-year international tenure. France's 2018 World Cup win included a dominant 4-2 final against Croatia, showcasing a squad with an average age of 26.1 years—younger than the average champion squad since 1990.