Les Bleus’ manager Didier Deschamps will not be present on the sidelines for France’s crucial Group I clash against Norway this evening in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The highly anticipated encounter will see two of the world’s top forwards, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, battle for supremacy in their bids for the World Cup Golden Boot. Lionel Messi currently leads the race with five goals, while both Mbappe and Haaland trail the Argentine by just one strike.

However, France will have to take the field without their head coach, as Deschamps will be absent from the touchline tonight. The World Cup-winning coach, who famously joined Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer in becoming one of only three individuals to win the tournament both as a player and a manager, is away due to personal tragedy.

Deschamps is missing the match at the Gillette Stadium following the passing of his mother earlier this week. The French Football Federation confirmed that he has flown back to France to attend the funeral, which also explains his absence from recent training sessions.

It remains uncertain whether Deschamps will return before the knockout phase. France have already secured qualification, but the 2018 World Cup champions are eager to finish top of Group I, which requires them to avoid defeat in this fixture.

Assistant coach Guy Stephan will take charge of the French team for the evening’s encounter, as he faces off against former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Stale Solbakken, who leads the Norwegian side from the technical area.