‘Pummelled and incapable’: French media react to World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain
French media outlets are expressing deep disappointment and criticism following the national football team's defeat by Spain in the World Cup semi-final. Commentators described the performance as a collective failure and a physical and mental collapse for the team.
Why it matters
The reaction highlights the intense cultural and emotional weight placed on national sports teams in France and the public's struggle to reconcile high expectations with sudden defeat.
French fans’ expectations of their national team had been at an all-time high: a semi-final on Bastille Day, Kylian Mbappé a hero, a squad unbeaten. Across the country, bars had been packed with viewers spilling on to pavements, ready to crack open the fireworks ahead of hopes for the final.
But the night was unexpectedly subdued, streets cleared early. On Wednesday morning, the French media were still digesting the disappointment of defeat in a World Cup semi-final, praising Spain’s performance in Texas while struggling to comprehend Les Bleus’ fall from a high.
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