France have lost their second World Cup final of the 21st century on penalties after being beaten by Argentina on Sunday.
The scoreline suggests that this game was a tight contest throughout, but the reality is that for the first 80 minutes, France were nowhere to be seen.
Indeed, this was, largely, a baffling performance by the 2018 winners, and, as you may imagine, the French media were baying for blood after this game.
If you think the English tabloids are bad, the French can be even worse at times, and they were looking for any scapegoat they could find.
Sadly, the blunt of the blame fell on Ousmane Dembele, the winger was subbed off after just 40 minutes of this final after a shoddy performance that saw him give away a decisive penalty.
Dembele slaughtered in a World Cup final
The French press layed into Dembele.
“What virus is causing 40 disgusting minutes in the World Cup final? Given the state of his teammates, he had time to contaminate them before leaving. Replaced by Kolo Muani,” SoFoot wrote in their match ratings.
“Missed almost everything. Feverish in his shots. At fault on the (very very) slight contact with Di Maria which brings the penalty. The shadow of himself. Logically replaced in the 40th by Kolo Muani,” Wrote RMC Sport who were not much kinder.
Not reflective
It’s a shame that Dembele played so poorly on this stage, because this was not a true representation of this player’s ability.
Dembele has been brilliant for Barcelona over the past 18 months, but he froze on this stage.
Whether that’s due to this reported virus that is going around or the fact that the occasion got to him, Dembele didn’t do his talents any justice in this final.
There’s a reason Liverpool tried to sign this player earlier this year, and that’s because he’s a talented young man.
Fingers crossed Dembele can right the wrongs of this final at the next major tournament.
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