5 France players who flopped at Euro 2020

Switzerland shocked the world last night when they knocked France out of Euro 2020.

Seen as overwhelming favorites to win the tournament, the France national team were surprised by a resilient Switzerland side led masterfully by midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Despite an excellent performance from Paul Pogba, France were dumped out of the competition after losing in the penalty shootout.

France were not at their very best during the competition, despite the incredible talent in each position. Manager Didier Deschamps was rightly criticized for how his team played, and questions will be asked after an underwhelming exit from Euro 2020.

Here's a look at five France players who flopped at Euro 2020.

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#5 Antoine Griezmann

France v Bulgaria - International Friendly

Perhaps a slightly harsh inclusion, but Antoine Griezmann was not at his very best for France at Euro 2020.

It would be fair to say that Griezmann's career has seen a decline since he joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for £108 million.

One of the best players in the world during his time with Atletico Madrid, the 30-year old has often struggled with the Camp Nou outfit.

Griezmann was one of France's most important players during their World Cup triumph in 2018.

At Euro 2020, the forward made four appearances and scored one goal, and his chemistry with fellow attackers Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema often left a lot to be desired.

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#4 N'Golo Kante

France v Moldova - UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier

After Chelsea won the Champions League a few weeks ago, there was clamor for N'Golo Kante to be in the running for the Ballon d'Or.

One of the best midfielders in the world, Kante's performances for France at Euro 2020 should reduce the Ballon d'Or claims.

The 30-year old did not operate at an exceptional level during the tournament, and France often looked vulnerable defensively.

There is no denying Kante's quality and his importance to club and country. However, more was expected from the former Leicester City man.

Kante featured in all four games at Euro 2020 for France.

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#3 Adrien Rabiot

France v Switzerland - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16

It is hard to understand why France manager Didier Deschamps decided to start Adrien Rabiot as left wing-back against Switzerland, despite the availability of Leo Dubois in the squad.

A midfielder by trade, it quickly became evident that Rabiot was not suited to that role. The Juventus man did not enjoy a good Euro 2020, despite starting three games out of four.

Injuries to Lucas Digne and Lucas Hernandez saw Rabiot operate as a left-back as well at Euro 2020.

The 26-year old enjoyed a fairly good season at club level, but with emerging talents like Houssem Aouar, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, Rabiot's place in future France starting XIs might come under question.

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#2 Benjamin Pavard

FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Augsburg - Bundesliga

Benjamin Pavard made his name at the World Cup in 2018, with his performances as a marauding right-back for France earning him praise and a move to Bayern Munich from Stuttgart.

Capable of operating as a centre-back as well, Pavard struggled at Euro 2020. The 25-year old was the starting right-back for France at the tournament, but never looked truly comfortable against any opposition.

Pavard conceded a penalty against Switzerland last night, although Ricardo Rodriguez failed to convert it.

France's right-back situation needs a rethink. Didier Deschamps used Jules Kounde in that position against Portugal, but the Sevilla centre-back was less than impressive.

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#1 Kylian Mbappe

France v Switzerland - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16

Kylian Mbappe is a world-class footballer, and judging his talent on the back of four games would not be the right thing to do.

Having said that, Mbappe was arguably France's most disappointing performer at Euro 2020. The Paris Saint-Germain man failed to score a goal in the tournament and recorded just one assist.

He missed some crucial chances throughout Euro 2020, and it was his penalty that Yann Sommer saved in the shootout to ensure Switzerland progressed to the next round.

The 22-year old is one of the best footballers in the world, and has rightly been compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe's Euro 2020 was poor in every possible way, but the forward has what it takes to silence his critics.

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