France midfielder Adrien Rabiot launched a scathing assessment of his teammates following Les Bleus' dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, describing aspects of their performance as 'shameful' and 'unacceptable.'
Rabiot Blasts France's Attitude
Speaking to beIN Sports after the final whistle, the AC Milan midfielder admitted France's approach during the opening 45 minutes was unacceptable and questioned the commitment shown by some members of the squad. 'We came out in a pretty shameful way during that first half. The behaviour of certain players is something I'd never seen before. It's a bit disappointing,' Rabiot said.
Rabiot insisted France could not afford to treat a World Cup match casually, regardless of whether it was the third-place playoff. 'It was the last match to really shine in this competition. We can't just settle for half-assing things like that. But in the first half, certain behaviours... It's pretty unacceptable.'
The defeat consigned France to a fourth-place finish after Didier Deschamps' side collapsed defensively in a remarkable 10-goal encounter at Miami Stadium. According to the BBC, while Kylian Mbappe scored twice to enhance his Golden Boot hopes, England's attacking display, led by Bukayo Saka's hat-trick, proved too much for the 2018 world champions.
Second-Half Fightback Not Enough
Although France mounted an improved second-half performance by scoring four goals, Rabiot maintained that the damage had already been done before the break. He argued that Les Bleus' disappointing finish at the tournament stemmed more from their mentality than their footballing ability. France's defensive lapses allowed England to build a commanding lead, and despite a spirited rally, the deficit proved insurmountable.
Emotional Farewell for Deschamps
Despite criticising his teammates, Rabiot reserved warm words for Didier Deschamps, whose 14-year spell as France manager ended with the defeat to England. The midfielder urged attention to remain on the outgoing coach and his backroom staff instead of the players. 'The people who should receive the most attention today are the coach and the coaching staff. They put in tremendous effort to bring France back to a world-class team,' Rabiot said.
Deschamps bows out as one of France's most successful managers, having guided the nation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title, the 2021 UEFA Nations League crown, and multiple major tournament finals. His tenure transformed France into a perennial contender, and his departure marks the end of an era for Les Bleus.
Mbappe Breaks Messi's Goal Record
Legit.ng previously reported that France captain Kylian Mbappe became the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after surpassing Lionel Messi's record during the third-place playoff against England. The Real Madrid forward scored twice despite France's defeat, further cementing his reputation as one of the greatest performers in World Cup history and finishing the tournament with another remarkable individual milestone.
