Adrien Rabiot criticizes French team's behavior after World Cup third-place defeat

The French national team concluded the 2026 World Cup with a 6-4 loss to England in the third-place match in Miami, leaving the competition under tension. Midfielder Adrien Rabiot expressed his anger following the defeat, criticizing the attitude of some teammates. France was down 4-0 at halftime and, according to Rabiot, the catastrophic start was not just a tactical issue. He stated that he observed "unacceptable behaviors" from certain players during the first half, which he found disappointing given it was the final match of the competition. Rabiot, the team's vice-captain, believes the team failed to regroup after their semi-final elimination by Spain. Despite a second-half resurgence where France scored four goals, he felt the damage was already done, emphasizing that "some behaviors were inadmissible" in the first half. The match also marked Didier Deschamps' final appearance as the French team's coach after fourteen years. Rabiot paid tribute to Deschamps and his staff, including Guy Stéphan, Franck Raviot, and Cyril Moine, for their work. In response to Rabiot's criticisms, Deschamps took responsibility for the errors, stating, "It was I who made a mistake." He acknowledged that the four halftime substitutions reflected his team's difficulties and admitted he "could have made eight" changes, while also suggesting some players could have performed better.