"Some players' behavior was unacceptable": Adrien Rabiot slams France's first-half display after England defeat in FIFA World Cup 2026
Miami, July 19
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot did not hold back in his assessment after Les Bleus' FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign ended with a 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff, describing his side's first-half performance as "shameful" and questioning the attitude shown by some of his teammates.
Speaking to BeIN Sports after Saturday's defeat, Rabiot expressed disappointment over France's collapse before the break, when England raced into a stunning 4-0 lead.
"We started the first half quite shamefully (trailing 0-4). I saw behaviour from some players that I'd never seen before. It's a bit disappointing, because it was the last match to do well in this competition. There's a lot of disappointment after the loss against Spain, but there was work to be done until the very end, and we can't just be content with sloppy play like that," Rabiot said, quoted by L'EQUIPE from BeIN Sports.
The midfielder revealed that the players confronted each other at half-time in a bid to restore some pride, with France responding by scoring four goals after the interval.
"We talked at halftime, we told ourselves we needed to show some pride, and it was much better in the second half, because in the first half, some of the behaviour was unacceptable," he added.
England secured their first-ever FIFA World Cup third-place playoff victory in a pulsating 6-4 contest, bringing Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France head coach to a disappointing end.
The Three Lions made a blistering start, with stand-in captain Declan Rice opening the scoring inside three minutes before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then struck twice before half-time as England stormed into an unprecedented 4-0 lead.
France responded strongly after the break. Kylian Mbappe pulled one back in the 48th minute before setting up substitute Bradley Barcola to make it 4-2. Mbappe then struck again to reduce the deficit to a single goal, becoming the outright leader in the Golden Boot race while also surpassing Lionel Messi to become the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals.
However, England regained control when Saka converted a late penalty to complete his hat-trick after Djed Spence was brought down in the box. Ousmane Dembele scored deep into stoppage time to keep France's hopes alive briefly, but Jude Bellingham sealed the dramatic 6-4 victory moments later with England's sixth goal.
While France's spirited second-half fightback fell short, Rabiot's post-match comments reflected the frustration within the squad over a disastrous opening 45 minutes that ultimately proved decisive in their final match of the tournament.
— ANI
Reader Comments
That first half was shocking from France. I was watching with my friends and we couldn't believe our eyes. But the second half fightback showed their true quality. Rabiot's comments about "unacceptable behaviour" suggest there's something deeper going on in the dressing room. Interesting times for French football.
As a neutral Indian fan, this was one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament! 🎉 10 goals in a World Cup playoff is crazy. Rabiot's frustration is understandable though—4-0 down in the first half is not acceptable for a team like France. But Mbappe's performance in the second half was world class. He broke Messi's record too! Huge achievement.
Rabiot shouldn't be airing all this in public. What happens in the dressing room should stay there. Yes, the first half was terrible, but calling out teammates like that just creates unnecessary drama. France showed character in the second half, so maybe focus on that instead of blaming individuals. Just my two cents. 🤷♀️
England absolutely deserved that win. First half was flawless—Rice, Konsa, Saka were brilliant. France's comeback was impressive but they left it too late. Rabiot's honesty is refreshing in a sport full of PR statements. He's right that some players let the team down. This France team has always had issues with ego and attitude.
Rabiot calling out teammates is a bit rich coming from someone who has had his own attitude problems in the past. Remember his World Cup 2022 exclusion? That said, the second half showed what France
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