Didier Deschamps Admits France Were Outplayed After World Cup Semifinal Loss to Spain

France head coach Didier Deschamps admitted his side fell well below its usual standards after a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal.

Deschamps conceded that Spain controlled the match from start to finish and said France paid the price for poor technical execution and a lack of attacking threat. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealed Spain’s place in the final, while Kylian Mbappe was effectively neutralised by the Spanish defence. The defeat ended France’s 11-match unbeaten run in World Cup knockout fixtures and marked their third consecutive semifinal elimination against Spain across major tournaments.

Deschamps praised Spain’s quality but accepted that his team simply wasn’t good enough on the night.