Overthrown by Spain, the French team will not go to the final

The Blues were logically eliminated (1-2) on Tuesday by a more playful and more inspired Roja in the semi-finals of the tournament.

They gave the impression of being able to overcome all obstacles despite their limitations. The Blues will ultimately not continue their adventure in Germany. Didier Deschamps’ players were beaten, on the scoreboard and in the field of ideas, by Spain (1-2), Tuesday July 9, at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The defeat is logical, but painful, because suffered on the threshold of a return to the final, eight years after Euro 2016.

Symbol of this criticized but never off-topic French team, Randal Kolo Muani had nevertheless put the Blues on the right track very quickly (9th). A week after benefiting from the complicity of Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen, his goal was not contested this time. On the cross of a Kylian Mbappé finally without a mask, he rose higher than a totally lost Aymeric Laporte to repeat the goal in the semi-finals, two years after France-Morocco, at the World Cup in Qatar. A few moments earlier, Fabian Ruiz had missed the target on a situation in all respects similar (5th).

Scoring a goal in the run of play with his first shot was a perfect way to start the game, but getting back on track wasn’t enough to beat this talented and inspired Spain team. The joy was short-lived for Les Bleus. A firecracker from a 16-year-old kid – he’ll be blowing out his 17 candles on Saturday – Lamine Yamal, turned the tide of the evening. The Barça prodigy gave Mike Maignan no chance with his curling shot from outside the box, using the post to better land in the back of the net (21st). A memorable goal that makes him the youngest male goalscorer in the history of a Euro or World Cup.

Galvanized by the indecent success of their number 19, the Spaniards scored their second goal four minutes later thanks to a brilliant inspiration from Dani Olmo. His hook from the outside while the ball was in the air allowed him to drop Aurélien Tchouameni, then his cross shot crossed the line with the help of Jules Koundé, desperately trying to intervene (25th). From that moment on, the Blues drank the cup. The red wave broke and underlined the impotence of a midfield either overwhelmed or out of time.

If half-time allowed them to regain defensive stability, they had the greatest difficulty in the world in creating clear-cut situations. Here and there, a header from Dayot Upamecano off target from a corner (63rd), or a shot from the right directly into the stands from Theo Hernandez (76th).

The Milanese was imitated at the end of the match by a Kylian Mbappé who again missed his match, without the excuse of having to play with a mask that limited his field of vision. Launched in his favorite phase of play, in depth, slightly shifted to the left, he hooked his opposite number before sending his shot well above Unai Simon’s goal (86th).

Comfortably settled into their match, Spain never gave in to haste. The extreme accuracy of their midfield Fabian Ruiz-Rodri-Dani Olmo allowed them to keep control of the ball and the scenario of the game. The only notable opportunity for La Roja in the second half was to the credit of Lamine Yamal, who tried to score the same goal as at the start of the match, without finding the target (81st).

La Roja will play the final on Sunday 14 July in Berlin, where they will face England or the Netherlands, with the ambition of becoming the first team to win the Euro four times.