France’s golden generation left heartbroken as Zidane era beckons

France’s World Cup semi-final exit left one of the country’s most gifted generations grappling with ​yet another heartbreak, but a new era beckons, with Zinedine Zidane expected to harness the squad’s extraordinary individual talent in a ‌bid to deliver a third global title.

Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat by Spain was particularly painful because of the manner in which it came.

France had arrived in Dallas on the back of six consecutive wins and dreaming of a third successive World Cup final but, confronted with their first truly formidable test of the tournament, they were outplayed technically and tactically and ​never looked capable of changing the balance of the contest.

It was their third successive major semi-final defeat by Spain, following Euro 2024 and ​the Nations League, and another missed opportunity for a group featuring Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Bradley ⁠Barcola and a host of players who should still be approaching or enjoying their peak when Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup come around.

For ​all that talent, France were unable to impose themselves when the stakes were highest. Spain controlled possession and tempo, while France’s attempts to press them into mistakes ​failed amid too many technical errors.

“We didn’t play the match we wanted to play, whether tactically or technically,” Mbappe said. “When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win.”

The captain acknowledged that Spain were superior at controlling the game and said France had failed to alter the balance of power.

“We lost ​to ourselves. We didn’t lose because of the referee, and we didn’t lose to Spain,” second-half substitute Rayan Cherki said.

2010 World Cup chaos

The defeat brings ​down the curtain on Didier Deschamps’ extraordinary 14-year reign after Saturday’s third-place playoff, ending an era in which France became a major-tournament force.

When Deschamps took charge in 2012, he ‌rebuilt a ⁠national side still reeling from the chaos of the 2010 World Cup, when a player revolt and training boycott plunged French football into crisis.

He guided them to the title in 2018 and took France back to the final four years later.

His pragmatic emphasis on balance, discipline and tournament management repeatedly delivered results, even if it did not always maximise the attacking riches at his disposal.

His expected successor will inherit a far healthier setup than the one Deschamps assumed, with ​France now able to draw on ​a wealth of talent unmatched by ⁠most of their rivals.

Zidane has not been officially appointed, but the former France captain and Real Madrid coach has long been regarded as the natural heir. His challenge, should he take charge, would be less about finding players ​than finding the structure capable of bringing the best out of them collectively.

France’s evolution during the tournament, particularly the ​development of their ⁠attacking play and the emergence of Olise as a creative force, will encourage Zidane should he take over.

Yet the manner of their collapse against Spain also laid bare how much work remains to turn potential into sustained success.

For 27-year-old Mbappe’s generation, time is not yet running out. But opportunities at this level are finite. France lost the ⁠2022 World ​Cup final on penalties and have now watched Spain end their hopes in three successive ​major tournaments.

The Deschamps era leaves them accustomed to reaching the final stages of competitions.

The task for whoever follows him — with all eyes inevitably turning towards Zidane — will be to ensure that a ​generation blessed with almost unprecedented talent does not finish with more memories of what might have been than trophies.