There might have been tears as a young France squad made their World Cup exit on Friday, but the players are convinced the experience gained in Brazil will help when their country hosts the European Championship in 2016.
That experience was gained the painful way in a 1-0 quarter-final loss to Germany, with Antoine Griezmann being consoled by teammates as he cried after the final whistle.
ROOM FOR PROGRESS
Only two France outfield players to appear at this World Cup are more than 29 years old, leaving plenty of room for progress before Euro 2016.
“There’s a lot of disappointment in the changing room, but there is also a lot to learn from this,” France captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said. “It’s been a very positive World Cup, and I hope it will be a reference point for the years ahead and notably for Euro 2016 in France.”
REASONS
Lloris pinpointed a number of factors for his team’s defeat to the 2010 semi-finalists on a steamy afternoon at the Maracana Stadium.
“It was very hot, then there were the stakes and we lacked a little bit of experience,” Lloris said. “This is a very young, very talented team ... and we have to keep this momentum going over the next two years, when we have a lot of friendlies, so that we go into Euro 2016 with great ambitions.”
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