Leading French sports newspaper L’Equipe showed little sympathy for Les Bleus this morning following their Euro 2024 exit, hammering Didier Deschamps and his players for another dour display.
France went out at the semi-final stage after a 2-1 defeat to Spain with Randal Kolo Muani’s early header the only goal scored by a member of the France squad from open play throughout the tournament.
Lamine Yamal curled home a stunning equaliser and Dani Olmo scored again for Spain four minutes later to secure them a place in Sunday’s final against either England or the Netherlands.
Under the headline “unmasked” – a reference to the fact captain Kylian Mbappe was able to play without the use of a face mask after he broke his nose against Austria – L’Equipe detailed their displeasure in their famously harsh player ratings.
La une du journal L’Équipe du mercredi 11 juillet#ESPFRA #FRAESP pic.twitter.com/6bkuMpx9TH
— L’ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) July 9, 2024
Mbappe scored just 3/10 with L’Equipe critical of his finishing after he blazed an excellent second-half chance over the bar.
His fellow forwards fared little better with Ousmane Dembele also awarded 3/10 with Kolo Muani getting 4/10 having at least found the back of the net.
Every member of France’s three-man midfield – N’Golo Kante, Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot – scored 3/10 after being overrun for much of the contest.
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L’Equipe wrote that Rabiot “didn’t exist”, Tchouameni had a “nightmare between the lines” and Kante offered “defensive cover far below his usual standard”.
Yamal was Spain’s outstanding player on the night, giving Theo Hernandez a torrid time down France’s left side.
The Milan full-back was the lowest scorer, getting just 2/10 after failing to shackle the 16-year-old superstar.
Jules Kounde was handed a 5/10 with Dayot Upamecano and goalkeeper Mike Maignan fours.
Arsenal defender William Saliba continued his impressive form with the relatively lofty rating of 6/10 with L’Equipe describing him as France’s “most reliable defender”.
Deschamps’ future has been called into question following their displays in Germany. The 55-year-old has been in charge for 12 years and led Les Bleus to a World Cup triumph in 2018 as well as the final four years later and the final of Euro 2016.
But he was not spared, scoring a 3/10 with his team accused of playing the second half “like they had a result to preserve, not an equaliser to score”.
