Criticized for his performance during the elimination of the France team against Spain (0-2) in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup, Aurélien Tchouaméni returned to the circumstances of his return to competition. In his show The Bridgethe Real Madrid midfielder explained why he agreed to play this meeting when he had just returned from injury. Absent during the Blues’ two previous matches against Paraguay and Morocco, the Frenchman was finally started by Didier Deschamps despite his still uncertain physical condition. “ As an athlete, what people need to understand is that adrenaline is something that can do many things. When you get injured, you discuss with the medical staff and the objective is to come back to play the half, everyone dreams of playing a half of the World Cup “, he explained. A decision motivated by the importance of the meeting, but which earned him numerous criticisms after the defeat of the Tricolores.
Because on the pitch, Aurélien Tchouaméni had not managed to find his best level against La Roja. In difficulty in the midfield, notably against Rodri and Fabián Ruiz, the Madrilenian delivered a disappointing performance, while Manu Koné had nevertheless convinced during his previous appearances alongside Adrien Rabiot. But for Tchouaméni, the way he views his decision depends above all on the final result. “ Afterwards, the ground truth is the ground truth. There are plenty of people who have played matches while impaired. You win, everything goes well. You lose, that’s “why you came back”. It’s part of football. One day it happens, one day it doesn’t and you are the scapegoat “, he regretted. Before this semi-final, Didier Deschamps himself admitted that his player was not fully recovered, while believing that he was sufficiently recovered to return to competition. A choice assumed by the coach and his midfielder, despite a particularly complicated evening against the Spaniards.
