Croatian pundit slams French players' 'disgusting' post-match conduct

Croatian football expert Tomislav Ivković has strongly condemned the conduct of French players following their defeat to Spain in the World Cup semi-finals. Ivković, speaking on the show "Americana," expressed disgust at what he perceived as poor sportsmanship and an inability to accept defeat gracefully.

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The French showed themselves to be very bad losers.

"The French showed themselves to be very bad losers," Ivković stated. He argued that players who do not acknowledge a bad performance as simply "a bad day" indicate a deeper problem, emphasizing that no team plays a perfect tournament. Ivković insisted that losses must be accepted with sportsmanship, without resorting to excuses.

He specifically called out Kylian Mbappé, describing his immediate move towards the bench after the loss as a display of excessive self-pity. "I don't know if I'm allowed to say this. I am, under quotes, disgusted by such an attitude towards the opponent when you lose a match, not to approach and congratulate them," Ivković said. He criticized the tendency to question referees or external factors instead of acknowledging the opponent's superiority.

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I don't know if I'm allowed to say this. I am, under quotes, disgusted by such an attitude towards the opponent when you lose a match, not to approach and congratulate them.

Fellow analyst Anton Samovojska echoed some of Ivković's sentiments, particularly regarding Mbappé's actions on the field. However, Samovojska also commended the referee for managing the game well without escalating tensions. Both analysts praised Spain's team, with Ivković suggesting that winning the World Cup is the only missing piece for their recognition as a top team. Samovojska highlighted the team's collective strength and individual talents, expressing admiration for players like Dani Olmo.

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You know what they are missing? That they win the World Cup and nothing else.