Digne speaks out after France's semifinal exit

France's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals continues to generate reactions from within Les Bleus' squad.

One of the first players to publicly address the defeat was Lucas Digne, who took to social media to share an emotional message after France's 2-0 loss to Spain.

The Aston Villa left-back, who conceded the first-half penalty on Lamine Yamal that Mikel Oyarzabal converted, accepted responsibility and admitted his disappointment.

"I'm disappointed in myself"

In his message, Digne reflected on the heartbreak of seeing France's dream of another World Cup Final come to an end.

"I'm disappointed in myself. It's over—the end of a dream. The dream of a little boy, and surely of the thousands of people who supported us," Digne wrote.

The French international also praised the commitment shown by the squad throughout the tournament while expressing frustration that they fell short of their goal.

"The hardest thing today is finding the words to describe this immense disappointment. Above all, I'm disappointed in myself and in spite of all the effort we put in, with this incredible group of players."

The penalty that changed the match

Digne was involved in one of the defining moments of the semifinal.

In the 22nd minute, he fouled Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area, allowing Mikel Oyarzabal to convert from the spot and give Spain the lead.

From that point on, La Roja controlled the match and eventually secured a 2-0 victory to book its place in the World Cup Final.

Despite the costly incident, Digne had enjoyed a strong tournament and had established himself as Didier Deschamps' first-choice left-back ahead of Theo Hernández.

Pride in representing France

Beyond the disappointment, Digne made it clear how much representing France means to him.

"I'm proud to have represented our country, with all its richness, its diversity and all the people who make it what it is."

The defender also thanked French supporters for standing behind the team throughout the tournament.

France still has one objective left

Digne ended his message by reminding supporters that France's World Cup campaign is not over.

"Thank you for everything, for your support and for all these emotions. You've been incredible throughout the competition. It's not over yet—we still have one objective: to finish on the podium."

Les Bleus will now turn their attention to the third-place match against England, hoping to end their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a victory after the disappointment of falling to Spain in the semifinals.

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