France’s Bleus back in action after heartbreak
France’s Bleus returned to training on Wednesday, July 15, to begin the final stretch of the World Cup. Eliminated in the semifinals, Didier Deschamps’ side now turns its focus to the third-place playoff against England this Saturday in Miami. Their last outing still stings: France 2-0 Morocco on July 9, 2026.
The team’s Massachusetts base was shrouded in eerie yellow haze from Canadian wildfires as they stepped back onto the pitch. The substitutes and Lucas Digne-joined by Adrien Rabiot-arrived 20 minutes late, likely because they’d waited to watch the other semifinal’s conclusion. In a tightly controlled 15-minute media window with just a handful of French reporters, Désiré Doué worked with laser focus while Jean-Philippe Mateta appeared more relaxed. William Saliba, sidelined by injury, was nowhere to be seen.
A team in mourning, but still professional
The mood inside the camp is somber. The players are struggling to process the semifinal exit despite a five-game winning streak before the stumble. Recent form? Five wins on the bounce: WWWWW. Next up? A tough away trip to Türkiye on September 25, 2026.
Yet beneath the gray morale and the unsettling yellow sky, France must refocus. The task is simple: finish this World Cup on a high note. They jet to Florida on Thursday, where they’ll face England in a match without sporting stakes but heavy on pride.
What’s changed since Dallas
The difference is stark compared to the media circus in Dallas. Here at Bentley University, only French journalists were allowed court-side. A quiet intimacy that mirrors the squad’s inward turn, away from the glare. The players must now flip the page, even as Saliba’s absence serves as a brutal reminder of the cost.
Observers already spot signs of resilience. Doué, locked in his bubble, and Rabiot, the natural leader, are trying to lift spirits in a team that’s bruised. But the big question lingers: how do you bounce back from this kind of setback?
What comes next for France
Regardless of the result against England, France must quickly look ahead. Their next competitive test is an away trip to Türkiye on September 25, 2026-a fixture that could double as a coming-of-age moment for the new guard eager to prove itself.
Deschamps, meanwhile, faces a delicate balancing act: managing egos and injuries. With Saliba out and other question marks looming, one thing is certain-the Bleus can’t afford to stall now.
