Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit has strongly criticized the French national team following their 2-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal.
France’s hopes of reaching the final came to an end after a dominant display by Spain, who secured victory to book a place in the tournament’s showpiece match.
Reacting to the defeat, Petit said Les Bleus looked far below their usual standards, describing their performance as both tactically and technically disappointing.
Speaking with former England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor via talkSPORT, Petit admitted the players appeared overwhelmed by the occasion.
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“We looked so nervous, so far away from our level,” he said.
He praised Spain for their quality and deserved victory, adding that the European champions controlled the game from start to finish.
“Tactically and technically, we were so poor. Credit to Spain, they really deserved to win. They played really well,” Petit stated.
The former World Cup winner also lamented France’s lack of creativity and leadership on the pitch.
“We had no inspiration, no creativity, no personality. It was a lesson in football,” he added.
Spain will now face Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after the South Americans staged a dramatic comeback to defeat England in the other semifinal.
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