French team internal strife: 29-year-old Ballon d'Or winner blasts teammates for lack of pressing, provoking others: "You played even worse"

According to a report from the authoritative French media outlet L'Equipe on July 16, the French team erupted in internal conflict during halftime of the World Cup semifinal. The 29-year-old Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé angered some teammates by criticizing the entire squad for "not pressing."

In this highly anticipated semifinal, the top favorite French team lost 0-2 to Spain, failing to reach the World Cup final for the third consecutive time.

According to L'Equipe, during halftime, being behind on the scoreboard caused Dembélé to lose his composure. In the locker room, he questioned the team's pressing method. The 29-year-old Ballon d'Or winner believed that the team's forward pressure lacked coordination.

It is reported that Dembélé's remarks angered some teammates. Some players felt that Dembélé only gets upset when he himself performs poorly, but not in other situations.

In this match, Dembélé played the full 90 minutes, recording 2 shots with 2 on target, 1 key pass, but also losing possession 17 times. After the match, Dembélé received a rating of only 6.8.

Dembélé also faced harsh criticism from L'Equipe: "How could a player of such talent and experience, who just won the Champions League with Paris and was poised to challenge for his second Ballon d'Or, produce such a disastrous performance at this moment of a World Cup semifinal?"