Connect with us

Sports

Adrien Rabiot Slams France Teammates in Stunning Interview After England Defeat

Published

on


France’s 2026 World Cup campaign officially came to an end on Saturday evening when they were beaten 6-4 by England in their third-place match at Miami Stadium.

After their disappointing result against Spain in the semi-finals, Didier Deschamps named an understrength side against England in what was his final match as France manager.

While the likes of Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe were in the starting lineup, fringe players including Rayan Cherki, Malo Gusto and Ibrahima Konate were given the opportunity to impress from the outset.

France were completely outclassed by their opponents in the first half as they went into the break trailing 4-0. Deschamps made four changes at half-time and Les Bleus were able to bring the game back to 4-3, but they could not complete a remarkable comeback as they eventually succumbed to a 6-4 defeat.

Adrian Rabiot Calls Out France Teammates

Adrien Rabiot and Jude Bellingham during England 6-4 France REUTERS/Paul Childs

Adrien Rabiot has been a virtual ever-present for France in this summer’s tournament, and he was instructed to marshal their midfield once again against England. He played the full 90 minutes in his side’s defeat.

After the game, the 31-year-old gave a stunning interview where he called out some of his France teammates for their attitude. He told BeIN Sports, per 20 minutes:

“We started the first half quite shamefully. I saw behavior from some players that I had never seen before. It’s a bit disappointing, because it was the last match to do well in this competition.

“There is a lot of disappointment after the match we lost against Spain, but there was work to be done until the end, and we cannot be content to rush things like that.

“We talked at half-time, we said we needed to show some pride, and it was much better in the second half, because in the first half, some behavior was unacceptable.”

He added: “For the rest, we must highlight the coach, Guy (Stéphan), Franck (Raviot), Cyril (Moine) who did a tremendous job and brought this team back to the top with all the players. We would have liked to finish with a victory so that the coach could have a better send-off, but it does not tarnish the image he has with all the French people.”

You scored

out of 20

Didier Deschamps Lev Radin/Sipa USA via Reuters

Deschamps was asked about Rabiot’s comments in his post-match interview. He refused to call out any specific players but admitted that some ‘could have done better.’

He said: “It was me who made a mistake. I should have made choices from the start of the match and things might have gone better afterwards. After all, everyone is judged on their performances, but judging players, characters, different personalities, I’ve never done that in front of you, I’m not going to end up like that.

“Obviously (in this match), there are some players who could have done better. I wish them all the best.”

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Jake Paul Pays Tribute After Female Boxer Dies Aged 26

Published

on

By


Jake Paul has paid tribute to former world title challenger Hannah Rapp, who has sadly passed away at the age of 26.

Rapp, who was born in Indiana, amassed a professional record of eight wins, one draw and one defeat. That sole loss came via decision when she challenged Tiara Brown for the WBC women’s featherweight title at MVPW-04 in June, a show that was promoted by Paul.

The promising young boxer tragically lost her life on Saturday while cycling in Brazos County, Texas. According to the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, Rapp was killed after a car reversed into her, having originally overtaken the boxer. A 31-year-old male has been arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Jake Paul Pays Tribute to Hannah Rapp

Hannah Rapp poses before her final fight

Just weeks after promoting what would prove to be Hannah’s final fight, Paul took to Twitter where he wrote:

“Gone too soon. Condolences to her entire clan. RIP warrior, Hannah Rapp.”

Paul was not the only one to come out with heartfelt messages for Rapp, her family and supporters. It seems her death has touched many, with the World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman also making a statement saying: “She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Rapp’s family with funeral costs, with $4000 already being raised, alongside many messages of love and support.

A family friend wrote: “She loved her family so incredibly much, and moving from Indiana to Texas meant distance for her friends and family. (She) was an inspiration. Even on her hardest days, she continued to bring love, laughter, and light into the lives of others.”

Hannah Rapp’s Final Instagram Post

Just 5 days ago, Rapp took to Instagram to share a photo of her running a race with the emojis’ of a lion and a shinning sun in the caption. The comments on the post are now filled with messages of love, shock and heartbreak.

One of Rapp’s former opponents, Rebekah Robinson wrote: “Honored I got to share the ring with you. I never understood when our paths crossed the role you and your career would play in my own life. You have inspired me. I know you will be missed. And my prayers will forever be with your family.

“I do feel guilty I wasn’t more supportive after you beat my ass. Thank you for also being apart of my story. We will keep fighting. I know you have the best seat in the house.”

The tragic incident that claimed her life remains under investigation.

Continue Reading

Sports

Borja Iglesias to Reluctantly Shake Donald Trump’s Hand

Published

on

By


The 2026 World Cup final is upon us, with Spain and Argentina looking to get their hands on the iconic trophy, which will almost certainly be handed to the winners by Donald Trump.

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino already revealed the plan for the President of the United States of America to attend the match at MetLife Stadium. Trump, while publicly speaking about world football’s biggest competition, has been surprisingly absent from all 103 matches to date.

But he is expected to be present for Spain vs Argentina and even hand the trophy to the winning team, like he did when Chelsea won the Club World Cup last summer. That means each player will likely need to shake hands with the President, whether collecting a gold or silver medal.

Spain Star Wants to ‘Forget’ Trump Handshake Quickly

Spain | World Cup REUTERS/Lee Smith

One man who has made it clear that he’d rather not shake Trump’s hand is Spain forward Borja Iglesias. However, the striker has stated that he’ll be civil as he doesn’t want to cause a scene.

Explaining his decision to remain on the American leader’s good side, he told a local magazine (via The Sun): “I don’t want to go to prison, I hope to greet him at a time when we are all very happy, and that it passes very quickly and I can forget about it.”

Iglesias has never been shy when it comes to voicing his political opinion or standing up for a cause he believes in. However, the Celta Vigo star would rather avoid controversy. He continued:

“I don’t think this is the time to create controversy. People know perfectly well what I think.

“I would love to do many things, but the reality is that even if people think I am all-powerful, I don’t have that much power to tackle certain things.”

Borja Iglesias Doesn’t Shy Away From Political Matters

Borja Iglesias (Spain) IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Vincent Carchietta

In the past, Iglesias has spoken out about matters such as homophobia and backed pro-Palestine protesters. The Spain ace also painted his nails black in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

He also made his feelings very clear about the incident which saw Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, convicted of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

Iglesias even refused to play for his country while Rubiales was still president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. So he’s not afraid of sticking up for causes he believes in, but the Spanish footballer will put his apparent differences with Trump aside on Sunday night.

Continue Reading

Sports

Tottenham ‘Show Interest’ in ‘Great Talent’ Andreas Schjelderup

Published

on

By


Tottenham are now showing interest in a World Cup winger as they turn their attention to strengthening at the top end of the pitch. Spurs have spent much of the summer strengthening the defence and midfield, with a number of top options snapped up, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Robert De Zerbi will be delighted with the new options he has, with his squad having clearly been upgraded, but there is more work still to do. Some players will likely leave, including Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, but there will also be more new signings, with a new winger appearing to be the main priority.

Tottenham now considering World Cup winger Schjelderup

Andreas Schjelderup

Tottenham are now said to be considering a deal to sign Norway winger Andreas Schjelderup, who impressed at the World Cup despite having been a toss-up in terms of his selection for the Norway World Cup squad. The winger notably scored against England in the quarter-final.

Shjelderup landed a move to Benfica back in 2023 and went on to land a starting role in 2024 after a loan spell back at his old club in Norway. The winger scored seven and assisted six in 28 league appearances last season, playing an important role in José Mourinho’s Benfica, who didn’t lose all season in the league, though they fell short of the league title.

Tottenham are now said to be interested in the 22-year-old, with journalist Pete O’Rourke reporting on the Transfer Insider podcast: “Schjelderup’s World Cup performances have caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs across Europe, including multiple Premier League clubs.

“I know Tottenham have shown an interest and are in the market for a new left-sided winger or forward, so Schjelderup definitely ticks a lot of boxes for them in that respect, as that is where he plays for Norway and Benfica. He had a very good World Cup.”

Mourinho convinced by Schjelderup

Andreas Schjelderup

Early in Mourinho’s Benfica spell, he was critical of Schjelderup, who was struggling to live up to the intensity. He said: “Schjelderup is Schjelderup – he struggles for 90 minutes, he struggles with intensity and the sacrifice of transitions,”

Towards the end of this season, Mourinho sang a very different tune. He said: “Look, I spoke to him yesterday or the day before and said that he had a lot of reasons to be very proud of himself.

“Comparing the Schjelderup of months ago with the Schjelderup of today is impossible. There’s no point of comparison, the only thing that’s the same is that boyish face… He’s still unshaven, his face is the same, that baby face is the same. Neither from a physical point of view, nor from a tactical point of view, nor from a mental point of view, there’s nothing comparable. I’d say that this kid, if he continues to develop in this way, will surely be a real talent and I’d say a great, great, great talent.”

Continue Reading

Trending