'If France were playing in the back garden I'd close the curtains'

"If they were playing successful nan backmost plot I'd adjacent nan curtains."

Not a flattering explanation for a broadside who person conscionable reached nan semi-finals of Euro 2024.

But that is really erstwhile Chelsea striker Chris Sutton felt arsenic he watched France stumble past Portugal, needing a punishment shootout to progress.

Their capacity did very small to soundlessness their critics, who person grown louder passim nan tournament, arsenic France are still to people a extremity from unfastened play.

With superstar striker Kylian Mbappe yet to deed apical shape and struggling pinch nan surgery chemoreceptor he suffered successful nan group stage, France person ridden their luck to scope this shape having mostly underwhelmed and disappointed.

But head Didier Deschamps remains defiant.

"We are now successful nan semi-finals and you could spot nan emotions we had pinch nan fans," he said afterwards.

"It is pridefulness for my players moreover though not everything has been done perfectly. We conscionable support going. I'd for illustration to prehend this infinitesimal and make nan astir retired of it."

No broadside has ever gone longer without a extremity from unfastened play successful nan tournament's history than France's 5 games.

With an array of attacking talent astatine their disposal, it is simply a shocking statistic.

Vice-captain Antoine Griezmann was substituted aft 67 minutes successful Hamburg, while Mbappe had to travel disconnected successful other clip having registered 2 tame shots connected target.

An inspired substitute capacity from Ousmane Dembele put a small radiance connected an different dismal show but, pinch Spain up next, France must surely improve.

"France did not merit to spell done and they person been bang mean successful this competition," said erstwhile striker Sutton.

"But it is astir uncovering a measurement successful tourney football. Didier Deschamps stumbles done again.

"Still, it's beautiful staggering erstwhile you look astatine nan players. Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann were ineffective.

"In nan last third, their link-up play has not been location - that has been nan communicative of France [at Euro 2024]."

Second favourites to triumph nan tournament, external a fewer weeks agone and nan highest-ranked European broadside successful world football, France person grounded to flatter and yet find themselves successful nan semi-finals.

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand said: "We mentioned nan style of football, but do France care?"

"The resilience and grit they showed to get to this point... There were immoderate awesome penalties taken successful nan shootout."

Portugal created much chances, dominated possession and stamped their authority connected a mostly forgettable necktie successful Hamburg.

Rafael Leao caused problems down nan left-hand side, while Bruno Fernandes came adjacent connected a fewer occasions successful nan 2nd half.

A beardown protect show - helped by different colossal capacity by Arsenal's William Saliba - helped France conflict through.

"I will ever take sides my players. Kylian [Mbappe] and Antoine [Griezmann] are not playing their champion shot but, contempt this, we're here," said Deschamps.

"Of people some are expected to make america much businesslike and we deficiency ratio but they are hanging successful there. They are portion of a team.

"Beyond their shot qualities, location is still a squad spot that is alive. We had bully substitutions and it's worked up until now."

It has worked truthful acold but will it activity again erstwhile France look in-form Spain, who overcame Germany successful their quarter-final and person emerged arsenic main contenders?

Ferdinand said France "ruined nan game" against Portugal because of their gameplan, while ex-midfielder Danny Murphy said Deschamps "could beryllium much adventurous".

"You do consciousness pinch nan value of nan French players, Deschamps could beryllium much connected nan beforehand foot. Maybe nan statement is nan occurrence he's had is impervious enough," added Murphy.

But, while disapproval remains, belief has grown wrong nan France squad.

With their awesome protect grounds precocious - conscionable 1 extremity conceded successful 7 matches - they person been capable to enactment successful games.

Now, conscionable 2 matches distant from European glory, Dembele believes they tin spell each nan way, moreover if they are not astatine their best.

"Since 2014 nan French nationalist squad has done very good isolated from astatine Euro 2020 erstwhile we went retired successful nan past 16," said Dembele.

"Our characteristic has sewage stronger and we show solidarity. There person been difficult matches this year. We person reached nan semi-finals and that shows really coagulated nan squad is.

"From a protect constituent of view, we did a awesome job. That's really we won nan match. We were coagulated and we kept that."