(Reuters) – France suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Germany, with midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni acknowledging that they were completely outclassed and need to take it as a warning sign as they prepare for the European Championship.
Germany’s Florian Wirtz scored the fastest international goal for the team just seven seconds into the match, followed by Kai Havertz doubling the lead early in the second half, securing a victory in the friendly held in Lyon.
“I think we were outclassed in every aspect,” Tchouameni expressed to French TV network TF1. “Our game plan wasn’t effective against a strong team. We need to step up, both individually and as a team.”
Tchouameni also noted that while the defeat serves as a wake-up call, there is no need to panic. He stated, “We acknowledge our strengths and believe in our abilities.”
Striker Olivier Giroud admitted that France had no excuses for the loss, emphasizing that they started the game poorly and were slow to respond to Germany’s tactics. He mentioned, “They had more control in midfield and were able to exploit the spaces between our players.”
Giroud highlighted the importance of being fully engaged from the beginning and staying focused for the entire duration of the match to avoid similar situations in the future.
France’s next challenge will be against Chile in a friendly match at the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday, as they continue their preparations for the upcoming Euro2024, scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 14.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
