France's World Cup Ends in Scandal: Rabiot Attacks Teammates After Third-Place Loss

France concluded the 2026 World Cup amidst significant internal tension following their 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff. The loss, particularly the team's dismal first-half performance, has exposed rifts within the squad.

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We started this first half in a rather shameful way. I saw behaviors from some players that I hadn't observed before.

Adrien Rabiot did not hold back his criticism after the match, describing the initial 45 minutes as "shameful." The midfielder expressed dismay at the conduct of some teammates, stating, "I saw behaviors from some players that I hadn't observed before." He further elaborated, "Certain behaviors in the first half were inadmissible."

Despite the disappointment of their semifinal exit against Spain, Rabiot insisted that such emotions could not excuse the team's lack of effort. "We cannot be content with treating things casually," he told BeIN Sports, emphasizing the need for pride and professionalism.

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There was a lot of disappointment after the match lost against Spain, but we had to do our job until the end. We cannot be content with treating things casually.

Coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged his responsibility for the team's slow start. France mounted a strong comeback in the second half, scoring four goals including two from Kylian Mbappé, but England ultimately secured the victory with two additional goals. The match became the highest-scoring third-place playoff in World Cup history.

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We told ourselves that we had to show some pride. The second half was much better, because in the first half certain behaviors were inadmissible.