Inefficiency in front of goal cost France at the European Championship, said coach Didier Deschamps following their 2-1 semifinal loss to Spain on Tuesday.
France managed only four goals in six matches at the tournament, with Randal Kolo Muani's early goal in Munich being their first from open play, following two own goals and a penalty.
Missed chances, particularly from out-of-form captain Kylian Mbappe, further hindered their efforts as they sought an equalizer after going 2-1 down.
“I am the one who has to take responsibility,” Deschamps said when addressing questions about the poor performances of Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, another key player for France.
“We didn’t have all our offensive weapons. We had to adapt for various reasons and didn’t have our usual impact. They didn’t play as well as they normally do, or to their full capacity. They were coming off long seasons and struggled to find their efficiency,” Deschamps explained at the press conference.
"We faced a very strong Spanish team, who showcased their potential. We could have performed better against an opponent that controlled the game well. We fought until the end but had our limits for various reasons. Playing our sixth game, we may have lacked some energy too.”
Deschamps clarified that Mbappe’s choice to play without a mask, which he had worn since breaking his nose in France’s opening match against Austria, was approved by the French medical team.
Mbappe had previously mentioned that the mask irritated him, affected his vision, and became uncomfortable due to sweat during the game.