French media slam ‘disaster’ England loss as L’Equipe gives five 2/10s | Football | Sport
France were put to the sword by England in Miami (Image: Carmen Mandato – FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images)
While England found themselves celebrating after Saturday’s World Cup third place play-off, France were handed a reminder that things can always get worse. It was supposed to be a fond farewell for manager Didier Deschamps in his final game as manager but instead the boss was forced into a triple change at the break to prevent outright humiliation. England were four goals to the good at half-time before their rivals regained some pride, but the French media had little sympathy and delivered a scathing assessment.
Thomas Tuchel got the better of Deschamps early on, with the Three Lions 2-0 up before the first hydration break after goals from Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa. Bukayo Saka added two more before the break, only for a Kylian Mbappe brace and a goal from Bradley Barcola to give Les Bleus hope. After a costly miss from Michael Olise at one end, Saka completed his hat-trick at the other after Djed Spence was brought down for a penalty. Ousmane Dembele added a fourth for France, only for Jude Bellingham to finally clinch victory for England in stoppage time. While some of the French subs got credit for their impact from the bench, the starters came in for real punishment. Here’s a selection of the French media’s verdict following a match like no other.
L’Equipe
L’Equipe is renowned for its brutal player ratings, with some even given a hard time following victories. Many were keenly awaiting what might emerge after France shipped six goals in a match for the first time this century and the French publication didn’t disappoint.
Predictably, the defence bore the brunt of criticism. Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate and Theo Hernandez all received 2/10, with threes awarded to Maxence Lacroix and Mike Maignan.
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L’Equipe gave five players a score of 2/10 (Image: L’Equipe)
A couple of additional twos were dished out further up the pitch. They went to Rayan Cherki and Desire Doue, both of whom were substituted at the interval after making next to no impact.
“Never before had the French team witnessed such contradictory and bizarre acts, so equally unfathomable, both in their vertiginous fall and their subsequent comeback,” L’Equipe’s match report stated.
“And so, Les Bleus managed to write an unprecedented chapter in history and achieve something extraordinary with a match that, in their eyes, hadn’t even mattered an hour earlier.”
The leading French sports publication pulled no punches on their front cover (Image: L’Equipe)
RMC Sport
RMC Sport weren’t much more forgiving, though only three of the aforementioned five – Gusto, Hernandez and Cherki – received the 2/10 treatment. Like L’Equipe, their highest rating went to defensive substitute Dayot Upamecano – as though to underline how vulnerable Les Bleus were at the back during the opening period.
“A brief flash of brilliance came with a perfect through ball that Mbappé failed to capitalise on, followed by a shot on target. And that was it,” they wrote of Cherki.
“The Manchester City player received a dressing-down from Deschamps during the first water break, but it had no effect. Replaced by Dembele at half-time, Cherki had a disappointing World Cup.”
It rounded off a terrible week for the French (Image: Getty)
France Info
France Info acknowledged some credit was due to the semi-finalists for their second-half fightback, which could have seen Deschamps’ side pull level had Olise been able to find the target at 4-3. Nevertheless, their write-up recognised the harm done in the terrible first 45 minutes.
“Didier Deschamps nearly ended his 14-year tenure as manager of the French national team in utter disaster, abandoned by his players,” they wrote. “Trailing 4-0 at half-time against England, they finally shook off their insolent apathy to avoid a historic humiliation.
“The French team was transformed offensively after the four substitutions made at the break, but failed to address its defensive frailties. They ultimately lost by a more forgiving margin, by the unreal score of 6-4.”
Foot Mercato
Over at Foot Mercato, Konate received the most scathing criticism but there was also some difficult reading for Doue. The Paris Saint-Germain star was outshone by club and international colleague Barcola in North America, providing just one goal and two assists in his eight appearances.
“Deployed on the left wing, Désiré Doué endured a nightmare start to the match against England’s intense pressure,” Foot Mercato said, giving the winger a score of 2.5/10. “Guilty of a costly misplaced pass in the center of the pitch as early as the 3rd minute, the midfielder gifted Declan Rice the opening goal, immediately plunging Les Bleus into a crisis.
“Too hesitant in his decision-making, struggling to direct the play, and overwhelmed by the Three Lions’ pressing, he was logically one of the victims of Didier Deschamps’ major tactical overhaul at half-time, being substituted immediately after the break following a very difficult 45 minutes.”
