Critics fall on the French team

Bad evening for the France team, and in more than one way. Already because the Stade de France sounded hollow for the reception of Israel as part of the 5th day of the League of Nations. Only 16,000 people (a sad record) took their place in the Dionysian enclosure, protected by a contingent of more than 4,000 security forces. The security and geopolitical context did not help fill a stadium, which was still the scene of a clash between supporters. On the pitch it wasn't brilliant either. In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, left in Madrid by Didier Deschamps, the Blues failed to beat a weak opponent (0-0).

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Obviously, faced with this 4th scoreless score of the year 2024, a first in 20 years, waking up is difficult for Didier Deschamps' players. “This French team no longer looks like anything, it scares people awayprotests Daniel Riolo on RMC. This is a catastrophic performance, even at the limit of tolerability. It's nice to say that we are optimistic or pessimistic. But we are not responsible for the slump, we are here to comment on it. This French team no longer looks like anything, it's the one that scares people away. Audiences are not down because of us.» The press is unanimous on this subject.

The Gazette: «And Italy smiles»

The Team title for example “It was zero» in today's edition, and returns in its pages to «a painful and boring match, in a heavy and often indifferent atmosphere.» «Slowness, clumsiness and lack of creativity», summarizes the sports daily, recalling however that the Blues are qualified for the quarter-finals of the League of Nations, and that a victory by three goals in Italy, improbable of course, would even allow them to finish first in their band. “And Italy smiles», sends elsewhere La Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, highlighting the weak French offensive animation and the suspension of Camavinga for Sunday.

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Spain also watched this match with a lot of attention, in particular… for the absence of Kylian Mbappé. “France is stuck without Mbappé in a deserted Saint-Denis», laments Markwho barely underlined the encouraging first minutes of the Blues “They quickly returned to their old habits to finish playing in a terribly listless first half“. The choice to release Camavinga, one of the best on the pitch, was also surprising. “From a sporting point of view, it was incomprehensible that Deschamps pulled him back 20 minutes from time.» The observation is the same in France as abroad.