World
France knocked out in World Cup semi-final by Spain: French press devastated
France was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the semi-final by Spain on July 14, 2026, in Dallas, Texas, according to The Guardian. The defeat came on Bastille Day, France's national holiday, lending the elimination particular symbolic weight. The French team, unbeaten throughout the tournament, fell despite Kylian Mbappé's failure to score. Supporters who had prepared to celebrate a final instead experienced an evening of collective grief, notably in Marseille. The French press reacted with unanimous devastation: L'Équipe headlined "Demolished," Ouest France published "The End of the American Dream."
