Thursday 12 February 2015 12:42, UK
France coach Didier Deschamps has signed a new contract which will keep him in charge of the national team until the 2018 World Cup.
The 46-year-old took charge of Les Bleus in July 2012, replacing Laurent Blanc who resigned following the European Championship.
After qualifying for last summer's World Cup through the play-offs, Deschamps led France to the quarter-finals in Brazil, where they lost 1-0 to eventual winners Germany.
Since then, they have beaten Spain, Portugal and Sweden in friendlies as their warm-up for Euro 2016 begins, and those impressive results appear to have earned the former Marseille and Juventus midfielder a new deal.
A statement from the French Football Federation read: "Following a proposal from president Noel Le Graet, the executive committee of the FFF has decided to extend the contract of France head coach Didier Deschamps until the next World Cup in 2018 in Russia."
Having qualified for Euro 2016 by virtue of hosting the tournament, France take on Brazil and Denmark in two friendlies at the end of March, with England facing the 1998 World Cup winners in November.
