Rayan Cherki: Spain played the football they like, France did not

France crashed out of the 2026 World Cup in the semifinals after a defeat to Spain, and forward Rayan Cherki did not hold back his emotions after the final whistle. "I don't know if the problem was a lack of decisions or desire. They won the ball back more easily than we did. If we had won more duels, we could have hurt them more. At halftime, the coach told us we had 50 minutes left and that chances would come. But the disappointment is huge," Cherki said. He admitted Spain were tactically superior and positioned better across the pitch. "We knew their main strength is playing at a slow tempo. Sometimes we should have done the same. They were simply better in every aspect. They wanted to win more," the forward added. Cherki noted that from the bench, it was clear how well Spain moved the ball. "They played the football they like, and we didn't play ours. When we play as we plan, we are an incredible team. But today we stopped in the semifinal, and it all comes down to details." He also suggested that France's smooth run to the semifinal might have been a disadvantage but refused to make excuses. With a third-place match still to come, Cherki urged the team to figure out how to win it, thanking the fans for their support. Spain will face the winner of England vs Argentina in the final, while France meets the loser of that fixture.