France's World Cup campaign concluded with a disappointing 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain, and the French sports newspaper L'Equipe did not hold back in its assessment of the team's performance.
Didier Deschamps' side, who entered the tournament as favorites and had showcased strong attacking performances, were ultimately outplayed by Spain. Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty and Pedro Porro's goal sealed the victory for Spain, preventing France from reaching a third consecutive World Cup final. Spain managed to contain France's potent offense, which had scored 16 goals prior to the semi-final.
Harsh Critiques for Key Players
Several French players received particularly low ratings. Aston Villa full-back Lucas Digne was given a 2/10 for his role in conceding the opening penalty, which he committed by fouling Lamine Yamal. L'Equipe noted his mistakes, including an "uncontrolled header" and the foul on Yamal, stating that he "made two mistakes that resulted in a penalty."
Ousmane Dembele, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, also received a 2/10 rating. The newspaper reported that he "did almost everything wrong" and "gradually faded until he became almost invisible," labeling his performance a "huge disappointment."
Michael Olise, who had impressed in earlier matches, was also marked down to a 2/10. L'Equipe stated that he "fell very low this time" and was unable to threaten the Spanish defense due to "lack of precision with several failed passes and dribbles."
Captain Kylian Mbappe was rated 3/10. The outlet observed that he "often seemed very isolated" and "tried to do everything himself, 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 noted for showing "personality and a huge impact off the ball" despite being substituted at halftime.
Managerial Assessment
Manager Didier Deschamps also received a 3/10 for his tactical decisions in the semi-final. L'Equipe questioned the team's approach and stated, "It's hard to understand how his team could have missed the mark so completely in terms of their approach, arriving with so much confidence."
Spanish Success
In contrast, several Spanish players and their coach, Luis de la Fuente, were praised. Pedro Porro and Dani Olmo both received 8/10 ratings, with Olmo named player of the match. De la Fuente also received an 8/10, with L'Equipe highlighting his team's "complete control of the match" and stating they "never looked threatened."
The defeat marks the end of Didier Deschamps' tenure as France's head coach, concluding after leading the team to a World Cup victory in 2018 and a final in 2022.