French media reacts to national team’s World Cup semi-final exit
Following their 0-2 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semi-final in Dallas, the France national team faced a critical assessment from the French media. The loss saw Didier Deschamps‘ side, who were considered favourites, deliver a performance described as flat against the European champions.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored from a penalty in the first half, and Pedro Porro added a second-half goal, while France‘s attacking players struggled to make an impact. The French press widely covered the disappointing result, with several publications highlighting the team’s struggles.
Media Reaction and Player Ratings
One prominent French publication featured an image of a dejected Kylian Mbappe with the headline “fallen star,” noting that the team was “powerless” to stop Spain. The same publication also released player ratings, with no player receiving a score higher than 5/10.
Lucas Digne, who conceded the penalty, received a score of 2/10. Attackers Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise also received the same low score due to ineffective performances. Kylian Mbappe was rated 3/10, a score he shared with head coach Didier Deschamps. Deschamps is set to manage his final match for the national team in the third-place play-off on Saturday.
Another French newspaper used the headline “rude awakening,” stating that the team “never found the key to break down the Spanish Armada.” Other publications described the loss as Spain teaching France a “lesson” and the “end of the American dream.” Many French newspapers featured a disappointed-looking Kylian Mbappe on their front pages.
Team’s Internal Assessment
France midfielder Rayan Cherki expressed significant disappointment, stating, “It’s a huge disappointment, huge because today we lost to ourselves. We didn’t lose to the referee, we didn’t lose to Spain, we lost to ourselves.” He further added that the team knew they were a formidable force and that only they could eliminate themselves, which ultimately happened.
Head coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged Spain as a strong team that demonstrated their skills. He admitted that France performed below their usual standards and made more technical errors than in previous matches. Deschamps noted that despite having skilled players on the bench, injuries to players like William Saliba and the risk of a yellow card for Adrien Rabiot impacted decisions.
Deschamps emphasized that to secure a victory, France needed to be at their absolute best, which they were not. He also mentioned that some decisions during the match were questionable, contributing to the team’s disappointment.
Kylian Mbappe, the team captain, attributed the loss to tactical and technical errors. He expressed frustration with France‘s overall performance, stating, “I don’t think we played the match we wanted to play – whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level.” He concluded that failing to perform as required in a World Cup semi-final leads to defeat.
Mbappe highlighted that their objective was to press Spain high up the pitch to prevent them from establishing a controlled rhythm, as Spain excels at controlling the game. He admitted that France failed in this aspect. The Real Madrid star, who had scored eight goals during the tournament, saw his hopes of another World Cup final appearance end at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Mbappe identified a key problem in midfield, where France‘s duo of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni were outnumbered by Spain‘s trio of Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabian Ruiz. He noted, “We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield,” which he described as a significant issue against Spain. He concluded that combining these factors resulted in the defeat and immense disappointment.
Despite the setback, Mbappe stated that the squad is determined to learn from the loss and move forward. He stressed the importance of facing defeat with dignity, just as victories are celebrated. He acknowledged the deep disappointment within the squad but emphasized the need to recover and prepare for future challenges, as “football waits for no one.”
Deschamps Questions Officiating
Didier Deschamps also raised concerns about the refereeing standards following the defeat. He expressed anger regarding the handling of the match, particularly after Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute. The penalty was awarded after Lamine Yamal was judged to have been fouled by Lucas Digne.
Deschamps suggested that the ball might have struck Yamal‘s arm before the contact occurred. He questioned whether the referee was adequately prepared to officiate a semi-final match, stating, “If I say anything, I’ll look like a sore loser because we lost. But I ask you: is the referee up to the task of officiating a semi-final? There’s the penalty, but that’s not all; it adds to everything else.” He clarified that he had no personal issues with the referee but urged a broader consideration of the officiating.
Beyond the officiating, Deschamps conceded that his team was inferior in almost every aspect. He noted that Spain‘s second goal, scored by Pedro Porro in the 58th minute, further highlighted France‘s struggles, with their attack, including Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, appearing ineffective. Statistical data indicated France failed to register a close-range shot until the final moments of the game.
Deschamps reiterated the necessity of being at their best to have any hope of winning, admitting, “Unfortunately, we weren’t.” He praised Spain‘s defensive performance, which left France with minimal space. He also pointed to France‘s technical mistakes, which made it difficult to create problems for their opponents. He concluded that France‘s technical level was below what they had demonstrated in previous matches.
The coach acknowledged Spain‘s excellence in reading the game and intercepting passes, which hindered France‘s passing combinations and sequences. He stated, “We couldn’t find solutions.” While not condemning everything his team had achieved, he emphasized that in a match against a team like Spain, maximum effort and performance are essential, a level France did not reach.
The defeat marks a significant moment for Deschamps, as he concludes his long tenure with the national team. He will lead France in the third-place play-off match.
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Source: skysports.com
