Why did the French national team collapse? A painful night for 3 stars...

Until the 2026 World Cup semifinals, France was seen as one of the strongest teams in the tournament. However, the 0-2 defeat against Spain exposed the weakest points of Didier Deschamps' side.

The expected finalist stopped halfway

Many expected France to reach their third consecutive World Cup final. The squad included names like Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, Barcola, and Tchouameni.

But in the match against Spain, "Les Bleus" could not show their usual strength. The team struggled with a lack of sharpness in attack, rhythm in the midfield, and confidence in defense.

Spain executed their plan with composure: first, they opened the scoring from a penalty, then secured their place in the final with a goal from Pedro Porro.

Olise went missing: 3.0 rating

Michael Olise was seen as one of France's most creative weapons before the tournament. He was described as a player capable of breaking through the opponent's defense with individual actions.

But in the match against Spain, he was barely visible.

Olise could not dribble effectively, and many attacks ended with his turnovers. Although he seemed to have two key passes, they were not dangerous enough to change the outcome of the game.

Olise's example revealed France's major problem: when the leaders' game doesn't work, the team automatically falls into a difficult situation.

Mbappe and Dembele: the awakening was delayed

Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were the main hopes of the French attack. But in the semifinal, there was no explosion expected from them.

Mbappe could barely show himself in the first half and the beginning of the second. He lost many duels, and when he became active later, haste affected his decisions.

He attempted 6 dribbles, but most of them ended ineffectively. His shots also did not pose a serious threat to the goal.

Dembele seemed to join the game too late. He created a couple of situations only in stoppage time, but by then Spain had already controlled the game.

Digne's mistake turned the game

France played poorly, but the game could have had a different scenario. Lucas Digne's mistake in the middle of the first half opened up a great opportunity for Spain.

After Cucurella's imprecise pass, Digne should have cleared the ball safely. But he misjudged the situation and committed a foul against Lamine Yamal.

The referee awarded a penalty. Oyarzabal took advantage of the opportunity.

This episode became the turning point of the entire match. France fell behind, and Spain fell into their favorite scenario: ball control, patience, and forcing the opponent to open up.

Why didn't Deschamps' team open up?

France's big problem was that there were many stars, but there was no general rhythm in the game.

Mbappe acted individually, Dembele activated late, and Olise was lost under Spain's pressure. In the center, France also struggled to move the ball forward quickly and accurately.

Spain, on the contrary, acted as a team. Not one player, but the whole system worked.

What was Spain superior in?

Spain's victory is explained not only by goals but also by the quality of game management.

Luis de la Fuente's team clearly studied France's main weapons well. They didn't give Mbappe space, didn't isolate Dembele on the wing, and kept Olise under constant pressure.

Spain's advantages:

• ball control in the center;
• discipline in defense;
• not giving space to French stars;
• keeping the game cool after the penalty;
• delivering the second blow at the right time through Pedro Porro.

In this semifinal, Spain looked not just stronger, but a more cohesive team.

A painful conclusion for France

France may be a team full of stars. But in the semifinal, that wasn't enough.

None of the leaders on the pitch could save the team. Olise was lost, Dembele woke up late, Mbappe couldn't find efficiency, and Digne made a decisive mistake.

In such games, it's not names that decide, but decisions. Spain made the right decisions. France remained in the shadow of its own stars.

Now the question is around Deschamps

France failed to reach the final, and after this defeat, Didier Deschamps' decisions will naturally be discussed.

Why didn't the attack work? Why weren't favorable conditions created for Mbappe and Dembele? Why couldn't Olise show himself in such a game? Why wasn't security provided on Digne's flank?

These questions will definitely be discussed a lot in French football in the coming days.

Spain went to the final. For France, this semifinal showed one painful truth: having stars does not guarantee a final.

In your opinion, who is mainly to blame for France's defeat — the players, Deschamps' plan, or Spain's strength?