Lucas Digne has broken his silence following France's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, admitting he is disappointed in himself after a difficult performance that included conceding a penalty.

The Aston Villa left-back was substituted in the 72nd minute of the match, having struggled to contain Spain's attack throughout his time on the pitch. His costly error directly contributed to Spain's opening goal, and the loss brought a painful end to France's World Cup campaign.

A dream cut short

Digne turned to Instagram to express the depth of his feelings in the wake of the defeat. "And so, a dream is over," he wrote. "The dream of a little boy, and surely that of thousands of people behind us. We always imagine so many things, often the most beautiful ones."

"But the end of a dream can sometimes be difficult, and the awakening even more brutal. The hardest thing today is finding the words to express this immense disappointment."

Taking responsibility

The Aston Villa defender was unsparing in his self-assessment, placing the weight of the result firmly on his own shoulders before acknowledging the collective effort of the squad.

"First of all, I am disappointed in myself. Also disappointed for this team, for all the efforts we put in, and for this group of incredible players."

Digne also paid tribute to the supporters who travelled to the tournament and those who followed France from home and across the globe. "Your support carried us throughout this adventure," he added.

France's exit leaves Spain marching into the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, while Digne and his teammates are left to reflect on what might have been after a tournament in which the squad gave considerable effort before falling at the final hurdle.