France began their World Cup campaign strongly, defeating Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0, and Norway 4-1 in the group stage. In the knockout rounds, they maintained their status as favorites, overcoming Sweden 3-0 in the round of 16, Paraguay 1-0 in the round of eight, and Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals. However, in the semifinal against Spain, when they first trailed in the tournament, coach Didier Deschamps' squad failed to rally, losing 0-2.

In the other bracket, Argentina, the reigning champions, displayed their resilience throughout the knockout stages. They needed extra time to defeat Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 16, came back from a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt 3-2 in the round of eight, and then overcame Switzerland in extra time in the quarterfinals. In their semifinal, Argentina scored two goals in the final seven minutes to achieve a 2-1 comeback victory against England.

Konate at a press conference before France's match against England at World Cup 2026 at Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US on 17/7. Photo: AP

During the press conference ahead of the third-place match against England, Konate admitted France did not show the required resolve when facing Spain, a stark contrast to the fighting spirit Argentina exhibited against England. "I totally agree. Yes, we lacked that," he stated. "I thought so and still hold that view. Everyone saw France as a favorite for the championship, so this defeat felt like a significant blow."

Konate revealed that the loss to Spain remains a haunting memory for France, with the entire team struggling to recover after failing to pose a greater challenge to their opponents. According to the 27-year-old center-back, this defeat is painful but not entirely like the loss to Argentina in the World Cup 2022 final. He finds it difficult to accept defeat against an equally matched opponent like Spain, acknowledging that France must reflect to identify the reasons why their performance fell short of expectations.

This marks France's third consecutive loss to Spain, following the Euro 2024 semifinal and the UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinal. However, Konate asserted that the opponent does not create a psychological complex for France. The 27-year-old center-back believes Spain simply played better in the World Cup 2026 semifinal, while in previous encounters, France had opportunities. "We were inferior to them in many aspects and must analyze why things did not go as planned. We entered the match with high confidence and a good feeling," Konate said, emphasizing that this defeat is not the end and expressing belief that France will have another chance to face Spain.

There are mixed opinions regarding the third-place match. French newspaper L'Equipe described it as a "superfluous match" and "comfort that never truly comforts anyone." According to the leading French daily, both the England and France teams returned to training with "no enthusiasm whatsoever," having just lost their championship dream days earlier.

Konate admitted he also did not want to play in this match, but affirmed that France must compete with a sense of responsibility to secure a victory. He also wishes to dedicate a positive result to Didier Deschamps, the coach who will depart the national team after World Cup 2026, concluding 14 years of service.

Konate, the center-back who recently left Liverpool to join Real Madrid on a four-year contract, was a backup option for the duo Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba, having made only one appearance at World Cup 2026. However, he is likely to start against England due to Saliba's serious injury.

Regarding the final between Spain and Argentina, Konate stated he has no preferred choice. "If Spain wins, it means we lost to the strongest team in the tournament, but we will still have some regret," the French center-back expressed.

Hong Duy (according to L'Equipe)