France mourns its broken dream after loss to Portugal in Euro final

Paris, July 11, (GNA/dpa) - The cover of France's leading sports newspaper on Monday was dominated by the image of a solitary player, jersey pulled over his head, pressing his hands over his eyes as if trying to wish away reality.

"Overwhelmed," read the title of the L'Equipe newspaper, over the photograph of Paul Pogba in mourning, after Les Bleus lost Sunday's European Championship final to Portugal 1-0 in extra-time.

"Portugal breaks the dream of the Bleus," Le Figaro wrote. "Unfinished dream of the Bleus," Le Monde echoed. "Broken dream," Centre Presse wrote. Sud Ouest headlined "A broken heart," alongside a photograph of Giroud.

Le Parisien remained a little less poetic, publishing a photograph of the celebrating Portugal team under the headline: "It wasn't our day." La Depeche de Midi said it was "too cruel."

"This morning, France awakes with a feeling of waste," L'Equipe wrote. "Portugal was an adversary within reach, less strong than Germany, but in football, it's unfortunately not always the best team that raises the trophy."

Writing in Le Figaro, Aurelien Billot said Antoine Griezmann, who had been hailed as having the "foot of an angel" was symbolic of the ineffectualness of France. Even though trainer Didier Deschamps tried to keep the forward well-rested, he was confronted with the indefatigable Rui Patricio in the Portugal goal and plagued by fatigue.

At the same time, the French media wasn't only wringing its hands on Monday. Even on Le Figaro's front page, columnist Yves Threard wrote the tournament was "a great success all the same."

"France should dry its tears, because it has all the reasons to be proud. This Euro made up for the Bleus, whose attitude, state of spirit and game had been lacklustre these past years ... if the French display the same fury to win as the Bleus, including in defeat, the country will start heading toward a better future," Threard wrote.

Newspaper L'Humanite, with a photo of French supporters cheering wildly for their team, captured the same sentiment a little more concisely. "Thank you for this moment," their headline read.

GNA