France’s elimination against Spain has left deep scars within the squad. Defeated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, Les Bleus are now preparing for the third-place match against England with morale at its lowest, according to L’Équipe.
The atmosphere inside the French camp was particularly heavy the day after the defeat. A member of the delegation described the team as being “at rock bottom,” still struggling to process the end of their World Cup dream. Several people close to the squad admitted that many players are finding it extremely difficult to focus on Saturday’s match.
France Expected to Rotate Against England
According to L’Équipe, Kylian Mbappé has been one of the players most affected by the elimination. “They are all deeply hurt, but I think Kylian is even more affected than the others,” a source close to the national team said. Like the rest of the squad, the captain had made winning this World Cup his biggest objective.
The battle for the bronze medal has generated very little enthusiasm within the camp. “Do you really think they want to play this match? Of course not,” one source close to the players admitted, while another summed up the overall mood by saying, “This group came here for something much bigger. They are devastated to have to play.”
With that in mind, Didier Deschamps is expected to heavily rotate his squad against England, giving opportunities to players who have seen limited action during the tournament while resting several key starters. Paris Saint-Germain defender Lucas Hernandez could make his first appearance of the 2026 World Cup, while teammate Warren Zaïre-Emery is also expected to feature. Mbappé, however, could still keep his place in the starting lineup as he continues his pursuit of new records in a France shirt.
