‘Collective failure’: French press digests World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain

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French fans’ expectations of their national team had been at an all-time high: a semi-final on Bastille day, Kylian Mbappé a hero, a squad unbeaten. Across the country, bars had been packed with viewers spilling on to pavements, ready to crack open the fireworks ahead of hopes for the final.

But the night was unexpectedly subdued, streets cleared early. On Wednesday morning, the French media was still digesting the disappointment of defeat in a World Cup semi-final, praising Spain’s performance in Texas while struggling to comprehend Les Bleus’ fall from a high.

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