France manager Didier Deschamps has called for "dignity and solidarity" as his side prepare for their match with England, just four days after the terror attacks on Paris that left at least 129 dead.

Les Bleus will take on England at Wembley on 17 November with the world still reeling after coordinated attacks on the French capital. The Stade de France was one of the locations targeted by suicide bombers while France took on Germany in a friendly match, while midfielder Lassana Diarra also lost a cousin in the attacks that swept through restaurants, bars and the Bataclan Concert Hall.

Speaking during a press conference at Wembley, Deschamps said: "We're here now to take the field, to represent our country – probably with more pride than normal.

"We are here are as a staff, management and players. We are representing our country in a poignant moment. I'm grateful for the solidarity and messages of support we have received from people in England and around the world. It will be a night full of emotion, but we have a duty to go out and perform, give a good account and represent France.

As Paris was attacked on Friday, the German national team spent the night in the Stade de France due to safety concerns. They were joined by the French national team in a motion the acting president of the German FA Reinhard Rauball described as an "outstanding gesture of camaraderie"

Recalling that night, Deschamps said: "We were focused on the game. We heard the explosions but we were so focused we only half wondered what had happened, we didn't realise until after when it came to light what a terrible disaster had taken place around the stadium and in Paris.

"When it became clear Germany had to remain in stadium, independent of what we were recommended by French police and security I approached [Germany manager Joachim] Low and said we would remain. it was important to stay with them until the right solution for them came. We didn't get back to Clairefontaine until the small hours. We tried to eat and sleep, but it was difficult to either those things, the night was very short before day break came about.

The France manager was also quick to underline the importance of Diarra's words made upon discovering he had lost his cousin.

"It is the first a stadium, sports people, staff and supporters have been targeted for a terrorist attack. But sport is a way of uniting people, it's an important representation of economic and social life. I've always said representing my country in sport is a great source of pride, that has become even more important now. Sport, how can I put it, represents a union of diversity. I think Diarra with his message put it superbly, sport has no colour. sport has no religion."