Paris, July 19 -- Departing France coach Didier Deschamps said he decided to end his 14-year tenure in charge of Les Bleus due to the "stifling atmosphere" surrounding the role.

His comments came after France's 6-4 defeat to England in the World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday.

Deschamps had announced last year that he would step down once his contract expired after the tournament, bringing an end to one of the most successful managerial eras in French football history.

"I decided that it had to stop. And if I made that decision, it wasn't for my own sake; I'm telling you this in all honesty, it was for the good of the French team. Because the atmosphere around me had become so stifling. The French national team doesn't deserve tha...