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France suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Italy on Friday, marking their first loss to the Azzurri on home soil in over seven decades. Following the match, tensions ran high in the French dressing room, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan delivering a heated post-game tirade, reportedly leaving captain Kylian Mbappe and vice-captain Antoine Griezmann in shock.
The match began well for Les Bleus, with Bradley Barcola scoring within the first minute at the Parc des Princes. However, Italy responded with Federico Dimarco leveling the score before halftime, and second-half goals from Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori securing the win for the visitors.
According to L'Equipe, Maignan, clearly frustrated, delivered a passionate two-minute speech, criticizing his teammates' lack of dedication and effort. The AC Milan keeper even remarked that, although only a couple of Italian players would make France's starting lineup, Italy earned the win through their greater desire.
The atmosphere in the locker room was tense, with senior players like Mbappe and Griezmann staying silent in response to Maignan’s outburst. When asked about his comments after the match, Maignan refused to divulge details but admitted the defeat stung.
“It’s a painful loss. We need to recover quickly. What’s said in the dressing room stays there. We’ll talk more tomorrow,” Maignan remarked, emphasizing the team’s focus on bouncing back before their next match against Belgium on Monday.
France now aims to recover and push forward in their Nations League campaign.