Rabiot to Speak with New Milan Coach, Calls France's Behavior Unacceptable

Adrien Rabiot has stated that he will hold discussions with the new Milan coach, Ruben Amorim, upon his return from holiday. He also expressed strong criticism, deeming the behavior of some of his France teammates during the World Cup third-place play-off match against England as "unacceptable."

Following France's 6-4 defeat to England in the World Cup third-place play-off, Rabiot addressed the media, including reports from Gazzetta dello Sport. The French team had a notably poor first half, trailing England by a significant 4-0 margin at halftime.

Rabiot's Post-Match Comments on France's 4-6 Loss to England

Rabiot described the first half as "disgraceful," highlighting "unacceptable behavior" he witnessed on the pitch. He elaborated, stating, "We came onto the pitch in what I would call a disgraceful manner. I saw behavior from certain players that I had never witnessed before. It was disappointing because it was our last chance to make a good impression."

He continued by reflecting on the team's mindset after their semi-final loss to Spain: "There was a lot of disappointment after the semi-final against Spain, but there was also a job to finish, and we couldn’t be content with ending it like that."

Rabiot revealed that a half-time discussion among the players led to a renewed sense of pride, resulting in a much-improved second half. However, he reiterated that the first-half conduct was unacceptable. While the team would have preferred to end with a victory, especially for the departing coach Didier Deschamps and his staff, Rabiot acknowledged that this defeat does not diminish Deschamps's significant achievements over the years.

Following his World Cup commitments, Rabiot will take a well-deserved holiday before commencing his second season with Milan at San Siro. "I’m starting again with Milan, of course. Then I’ll speak with the new coach," he confirmed. He explained his focus on the World Cup, stating, "Before this, I preferred to focus on the World Cup and not be distracted by other matters. The holidays are well-deserved. These have been truly difficult days mentally."

Milan recently parted ways with Massimiliano Allegri after failing to secure Champions League qualification for the 2025-26 season and appointed Ruben Amorim, a former Manchester United manager, as his successor.

Allegri, who had a strong relationship with Rabiot, having coached him at both Juventus and Milan, had been instrumental in bringing the French midfielder to Milan a year prior. Following his dismissal from Milan, Allegri has since signed a three-year contract with Napoli.