The third-place match of the 2026 World Cup will go down as one of the biggest disappointments for the French team. Beaten 6-4 by England in a spectacular encounter, the Blues left Miami with more than just a loss. Beyond the scoreline, it was the attitude displayed by some players that sparked deep frustration within the group. Just minutes after the final whistle, Adrien Rabiot did not hide his anger and delivered a scathing analysis of the French performance, pointing out a lack of commitment that, in his view, cost his team dearly.
The first half was particularly tough for Didier Deschamps’ men. Completely overwhelmed in every aspect of the game, the French conceded four goals before the break, allowing England to take a significant lead. Despite the quality of the French squad, the Blues never managed to impose their rhythm during the first 45 minutes. This scenario deeply affected Adrien Rabiot, who did not hesitate to publicly criticize the behavior of some of his teammates after the match.
The AC Milan midfielder was particularly harsh when discussing that first half. “We entered this first half in a pretty shameful way. I saw behaviors from some players that I had never seen before. It’s a bit disappointing because it was the last match to make a mark in this competition,” Rabiot said to BeIN Sports. His words reflect the immense disappointment felt by the French international after a performance deemed far below the usual standards of the Blues.
Rabiot also lamented that the team seemed to lose all motivation after the painful semi-final elimination against Spain. According to him, some players approached this match with a mindset that was insufficient for such an important international fixture. Even though France showed a completely different face after the break by scoring four goals and regaining some intensity, the deficit was already too great to hope for a turnaround. The French midfielder stressed that “In the first half, some behaviors were unacceptable,” believing that this late reaction could not erase the mistakes made at the start of the match.
Despite this immense frustration, Adrien Rabiot did not forget to pay tribute to Didier Deschamps and his coaching staff. The coach officially stepped down after fourteen years at the helm of the Blues, accompanied by his loyal collaborators Guy Stéphan, Franck Raviot, and Cyril Moine. For Rabiot, this match represented the perfect opportunity to give one last medal to the man who led France to numerous international successes. This botched exit leaves a particularly bitter taste for a group that hoped to conclude this journey on a positive note.
🇫🇷🏴 Adrien Rabiot criticizes his teammates and their “unacceptable behavior”!#beINFWC2026 pic.twitter.com/dXYIngkdmU
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) July 18, 2026
In response to the criticisms from his player, Didier Deschamps refused to fuel the controversy. True to his principles, the French coach preferred to take full responsibility for this disastrous start. “I was the one who made the mistake. I should have made choices from the beginning of the match, and it might have gone better afterward. […] Judging players, characters, different personalities, I have never done that in front of you, and I won’t start now,” the former coach stated at the press conference.
Didier Deschamps also acknowledged that the four substitutions made at halftime reflected his dissatisfaction with the performance of several players. He even admitted that he could have made more changes given how disappointing the first half was. Without directly pointing fingers at certain players, he simply recognized that several of them could have delivered a better performance. This statement once again illustrates the coach’s desire to protect his squad until his last day, despite a particularly painful end to the adventure for the French team.
