France’s World Cup semi-final defeat
France’s World Cup semi-final defeat
France experienced a significant defeat in the World Cup semi-final against Spain. The match saw Spain control possession and demonstrate what was described as a superior performance. Following the semi-final, French media outlets expressed disappointment and critically assessed the national team’s performance.
The French sports paper L’Équipe, in its match report, used the headline “Demolished.” The correspondent Vincent Duluc wrote that France‘s World Cup journey “deserved more than this disaster of a game, this disaster of strategy and emotions.” He suggested that France could not complain about the loss because of a “feeling of barely really having played, and of betraying the magic of this American dream.”
Duluc also noted that the team appeared physically unprepared and made technical errors. He highlighted that the players seemed “mentally sunk by the emotional dimension of the match.”
Media reaction and collective failure
The sentiment of disappointment was echoed across various French publications. Alexandre Lemarié, a correspondent for Le Monde, described the team’s fall as “as brutal as it is painful,” calling it a “cruel disappointment” and a “collective failure.” This came after weeks of high expectations from fans.
The regional northern paper La Voix du Nord stated that the semi-final would “remain a nightmare” and be difficult to forget for negative reasons. Ouest France featured the headline “The end of the American dream” alongside a picture of Kylian Mbappé. Libération commented that the team “fell from very, very high.”
Baptiste Desprez in Le Figaro, while disheartened, acknowledged Spain‘s skill. He wrote that Les Bleus were “stifled, pummelled and incapable of three passes despite their promise from the start of the competition,” concluding that they “faced players stronger than them.” Desprez added, “It’s sad. Infuriating. But that’s sport. The strongest won.”
Thierry Henry’s analysis of Spain’s dominance
Former French forward Thierry Henry, serving as a pundit, was notably impressed by Spain‘s performance. He stated that the Spaniards “controlled the ball and they showed why they are European champions. They were far superior. The best team won.” Henry emphasized that being 1-0 down against Spain makes it very difficult to recover. He urged France to analyze the match to return stronger and aim to overcome their “new sworn enemy.”
Henry pointed to the consistent superiority of Spanish football across various categories, attributing their success to a clear and unchanging tactical identity at all levels. He mentioned experiencing their dominance as an under-23s coach, losing a final against them in the Olympics.
Henry elaborated on Spain‘s philosophy: “They have an identity, a philosophy: they all play the same way, whatever the level. The coach knows the system perfectly, you can see that. It is a team with stars in it.” He highlighted that Spain‘s second goal resulted from a long period of possession, showcasing their deep-rooted football DNA. He stressed that every player understands their role, regardless of experience, because they play in the same style.
Didier Deschamps‘ 14-year tenure, which included a World Cup triumph in 2018, concluded following the match. Spain is now preparing to face the winner of the match between England and Argentina.
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Source: goal.com
