France forward Rayan Cherki has insisted Les Bleus have only themselves to blame for their FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final elimination, admitting Spain were superior in every department while refusing to hide behind refereeing decisions.
The 21-year-old delivered one of the most candid post-match assessments of the tournament after France’s 2-0 defeat to Spain, acknowledging that Luis de la Fuente’s side deserved their place in the World Cup final.
“We didn’t play the football we know, and Spain played the football they know,” Cherki said after the match.
He went even further, rejecting any attempt to blame external factors for France’s defeat.
“Every team was afraid of us… The team that beat us tonight was ourselves. Yes, the referee was not at his best, but he didn’t take away a goal from us. If we had been better, we would have won.”
Spain produced a composed display to secure a 2-0 victory at AT&T Stadium, with Mikel Oyarzabal opening the scoring from the penalty spot before Pedro Porro sealed the result in the second half. The victory sent La Roja into their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010.
Cherki’s assessment echoed the wider consensus within the French camp. Rather than pointing fingers at officiating, the Lyon-born attacker admitted France fell short both technically and tactically.
“They were better than us in every aspect of the game. They wanted it more than we did,” he said, adding that France failed to play with the quality and composure that had carried them through the tournament.
The attacking midfielder also suggested the defeat stemmed from France’s own emotional management rather than Spain’s tactical pressure.
According to Cherki, Les Bleus often had time on the ball but failed to make the right decisions, allowing Spain to dictate the rhythm through Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo.
“We didn’t manage our emotions well,” he admitted.
His comments contrasted sharply with the reaction that often follows major tournament defeats, where refereeing decisions frequently dominate the post-match narrative.
Instead, Cherki insisted the officials were not responsible for France’s elimination.
“The referee wasn’t at his best, but that doesn’t change anything. He didn’t take a goal away from us,” he said.
France entered the tournament as one of the favourites to win a third World Cup title but struggled to impose themselves against a Spain side that controlled possession, dictated the tempo and limited Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé to few clear opportunities.
Head coach Didier Deschamps also conceded after the match that Spain had been “second best” on the night, acknowledging his side failed to match the European champions’ technical quality and intensity.
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