French press delivers harsh verdict following World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain
France's 2-0 World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain has triggered a wave of severe criticism from the domestic press, casting doubt on the nation's superstar-driven football model ahead of head coach Didier Deschamps' final match.
France suffered a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semi-final in Dallas, ending their tournament as heavy favourites. Mikel Oyarzabal scored a first-half penalty, followed by a second-half strike from Pedro Porro, as the French attacking lineup failed to deliver.
The French press responded on Wednesday with a unified and harsh assessment of the national team's performance. Every major daily newspaper featured a dejected Kylian Mbappe on its front page, reflecting profound public disappointment.
L'Equipe described the squad as "powerless" and a "fallen star", assigning historically low player ratings. No individual received a score above 5/10, with Lucas Digne, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise all awarded 2/10 for their ineffective contributions.
Mbappe and head coach Didier Deschamps both received 3/10. Deschamps will manage his final match for the national team in Saturday’s third-place play-off.
Other publications echoed this sentiment of systemic failure. Le Parisien cited a "rude awakening" against the "Spanish Armada", while Le Figaro stated that Spain "taught France a lesson". Ouest France framed the result as the "end of the American dream".
For the French Football Federation and its broader institutional stakeholders, this early exit disrupts the momentum of a squad built around high-profile global talent. The failure of this much-vaunted front four raises questions about the sustainability of relying on individual star power over cohesive team dynamics in major tournaments.
Players internally acknowledged the self-inflicted nature of the defeat. Midfielder Rayan Cherki stated, "We didn't lose to the referee, we didn't lose to Spain, we lost to ourselves," adding that the only team capable of eliminating them was their own.
Deschamps pointed to technical flaws and missing personnel as decisive factors. He noted that William Saliba was injured and Adrien Rabiot was at risk due to a yellow card, leaving the team unable to reach its maximum level against a strong Spanish side.
The outgoing coach also hinted at officiating issues, stating that "some decisions were questionable" in the first half. He conceded that the team did not give it all, resulting in extreme disappointment.
