France's World Cup journey concluded with a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals, prompting a sharp critique from French sports newspaper L'Equipe. The team, which entered the tournament as favorites and had showcased strong attacking performances, was unable to overcome Spain's defense, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealing the win.
L'Equipe's player ratings reflected the team's disappointing performance. Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne received a 2/10 for his role in giving away a penalty after a challenge on Lamine Yamal. The publication noted that Digne made two critical mistakes leading to the penalty and struggled in the second half before being substituted. Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise also received 2/10 ratings. L'Equipe described Dembele as having "almost everything wrong" and fading into near invisibility during the match. Olise was criticized for a lack of precision in his passes and dribbles.
Captain Kylian Mbappe was rated 3/10, with L'Equipe observing that he "often seemed very isolated" and attempted to carry the team alone without success. No French player received a rating higher than 5/10, which was awarded to Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, and Adrien Rabiot. Rabiot was acknowledged for his "personality and a huge impact off the ball" despite being substituted at halftime.
Manager Didier Deschamps also received a 3/10 rating for his tactical decisions. L'Equipe questioned the team's approach and the effectiveness of substitutions, stating that the coaching appeared "too deferential to the established order."
In contrast, Spanish players and manager Luis de la Fuente received praise. Dani Olmo and Pedro Porro were top performers with 8/10 ratings, with Olmo named player of the match. De la Fuente also earned an 8/10, with L'Equipe noting his team displayed "complete control of the match" and "never looked threatened."