UEFA Euro 2024: What went wrong as Didier Deschamps’ France exit tournament after a poor campaign

New Delhi: Spain’s victory over France in the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-finals has raised questions about Les Bleus’ unexpected struggles. Despite a squad featuring World Cup champions like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, France managed only four goals across six matches—a far cry from their usual strong performances. Their failure to convert chances, particularly evident against Spain, highlighted ongoing issues in their attacking play.

Key players such as Mbappe, Marcus Thuram, Ousmane Dembele, and Randall Kolo Muani struggled to find the back of the net consistently, which ultimately hindered France’s progress. This shortfall was particularly noticeable in their inability to equalise against Spain, despite showing glimpses of their potential.

France entered Euro 2024 as favourites, but their campaign revealed a reliance on established stars rather than exploring new tactical approaches. Coach Didier Deschamps’ strategy of sticking with familiar methods may have contributed to their downfall. As they exited the tournament earlier than expected, the French team faces introspection about their future direction and the need for adaptation to remain competitive on the international stage. Hence, the question arises: What went wrong for France in the UEFA Euro 2024?

1. France were haunted by Paul Pogba’s absence in the UEFA Euro 2024

In a recent press conference, Kylian Mbappe responded to a journalist who questioned the recent playstyle change in his play where he is taking fewer runs inside the box. The French forward discussed on how his playing style has adapted, especially regarding his runs behind the defense. He pointed out that his ability to make these runs depends on the team dynamics. “A striker must always adapt to all situations, to his teammates, to their characteristics,” Mbappe explained. He highlighted his experience playing alongside Paul Pogba in the national team, noting, “With him, you just have to lower your head, run, make a call, and you know that the ball will arrive at your foot.”

Didier Deschamps called up a 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 that didn’t include a proper number 10. A profile similar to Paul Pogba was completely absent from the squad. Players like Adrien Rabiot and Eduardo Camavinga are not suited to the role, and Antoine Griezmann has not found comfort in the central role. The French manager persisted in using Griezmann and Rabiot to fill the boots of Pogba, but the difference in the profile affected the tactical strategies immensely. Kylian Mbappe is the star man of the French team, and the dominant run of Deschamps-led France was possible due to the striker’s lethal finishing skills and pace.

Paul Pogba was the key to unlocking Mbappe’s traits to flourish on the field. The combination between Pogba and Mbappe has proven to be highly effective for France. The two have appeared in 41 matches together for Les Bleus, during which Mbappe has scored 20 goals and contributed 17 assists.

Didier Deschamps’ inability to find a suitable replacement for Paul Pogba and his decision to include multiple midfielders with similar profiles in the squad proved costly for France in UEFA Euro 2024. The only player in the squad who matched Pogba’s profile was Zaire-Emery, yet Deschamps chose not to play him for a single minute throughout the tournament. Among all the midfielders, Zaire-Emery was the most creative and capable of playing an advanced playmaking role. This oversight haunted France throughout the competition, as they struggled without a dynamic presence like Pogba in the midfield.

2. Toothless in Attack

The French attack was poor throughout the tournament in Germany and there is no doubt about that fact. The French only managed to score four goals throughout the tournament, which is less than what hosts Germany managed in just the opening game against Scotland. With the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, and Antoine Griezmann all at his disposal, Didier Deschamps was unable to bring the best of out his attackers. It took the French attackers until the semi-finals to score a goal from open play and that is a clear indication of how lacklustre the entire frontline was during the tournament.

The writing was on the wall for them in their first game against Austria, where they laboured to a 1-0 win courtesy of a Maximillian Wober own goal. They were the only team that benefitted from an own goal twice and if we take out those own goals from the equation, Deschamps’ men wouldn’t be making it out of their group.
As hinted above, France had an incredibly drab midfield trio with Adrien Rabiot, N’golo Kante, and Aurelin Tchouameni starting most games. While both Kante and Tchouameni are outstanding players, they don’t provide the creative spark from the middle. If there’s no one creating from the midfield, it becomes extremely difficult for the attackers to create the chances and also carry the burden of finishing such chances.

Lastly, the one thing that hindered their attack the most was Kylian Mbappe’s injury. After suffering a nose injury in the first game and being forced to wear a mask for the rest of the tournament, Kylian Mbappe didn’t look comfortable at all and never looked like the player we know he is. Mbappe has been France’s talisman ever since he was a teenager and has been the focal point of their attack. With their main man not being at 100%, the French attack looked toothless throughout the campaign.

 Spain came back from a deficit to defeat France to reach the final of UEFA Euro 2024. France displayed poor performances throughout the matches, leading to their exit. Hence, look at what went wrong for Didier Deschamps in the tournament.  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today