Tchouaméni reflects on France’s elimination by Spain

“We were brought down to earth”: Aurélien Tchouaméni has spoken about France’s elimination by Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final. On the programme The Bridge, the midfielder acknowledged how difficult the defeat was to take after a run that had been perfect up to that point. Spain won 2-0, ending France’s hopes of reaching the final.

France went into the semi-final on 14 July after six wins in six matches, following a campaign that had made a strong impression. But on the national holiday, France’s momentum came to an abrupt halt against Spain. Michael Olise, the competition’s leading assist-maker, had a difficult performance, while Kylian Mbappé, the leading scorer in this edition, failed to score. RMC Sport also describes him as the leading scorer in World Cup history.

Tchouaméni said the contrast between the team’s previous performances and the defeat made the fall all the harder. “We had performed so well in the matches up to the semi-final that when you lose in the semis, suddenly your dream of reaching the final and winning the World Cup […] after 90 minutes, you tell yourself: ‘it’s over…’”

He also acknowledged the opposition’s superiority: “Against Spain […] they dominated us.” He compared that feeling with the one at Euro 2024, saying Spain make their game plan clear. “You feel as if you’re alongside them, but in fact, they outclassed us,” he added. The midfielder also admitted that several France players had not performed at their best.

Tchouaméni’s fitness was also discussed. He said he had played while below full strength and accepted that he had taken risks, but did not regret the decision. “As an athlete, adrenaline can do a lot of things,” he said. In his view, the desire to play in a final can weigh on the decision, but the result changes how it is judged afterwards: a win is praised, while a defeat can prompt criticism. Mourinho, for his part, said Tchouaméni, who was still injured, had suffered greatly and taken risks by playing in the semi-final.