France held in check by Hungary: French players destabilized by the atmosphere?

This is one of the parameters that attracted the most attention during the match between Hungary and France.

The Blues have indeed conceded the draw (1-1) for their second match of Euro 2020 in a boiling atmosphere provided by the thousands of Hungarian supporters in the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Such an atmosphere that Antoine Griezmann and his family had not known for more than a year and a half.

The atmosphere could have been a factor which explains the disappointing part of Didier Deschamps' players.

[️VIDEO] # EURO2020 # HONFRA

Les Bleus can only concede a 1-1 draw against Hungary ... pic.twitter.com/EYjLMpfq14

- beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) June 19, 2021

Players who are no longer used to big atmospheres

In the debrief of Europe 1 Football club, Jean-François Pérès, special correspondent at the Puskas Arena for Europe 1, clarified that he had discussed this subject with French footballers. "We wanted to know what the atmosphere would change, especially in terms of communication since it is a team that has been used for more than a year to play in empty stadiums in clubs and in the national teams. When 60,000 people scream from the start at the end, with an ovation for the Hungarian goal, this noise enters the head, it is indisputable. Little by little, we saw French players get frustrated and sometimes to the limit ", analyzes the commentator of the meeting alongside Cyrille de la Morinerie.

The French striker Antoine Griezmann, author of the equalizing goal in the second half, agreed on beIN Sports after the match of the difficulty of playing well in a hostile atmosphere: "With the public, we will say that we had lost our habits in a full stadium. We couldn't get along, it was super hot ".

"Portugal won under the same conditions"

An argument that did not convince Arnaud Hermant, author of books on football and guest of Europe 1 Football club. "Portugal played under the same conditions, and even if it was not easy, they won 3-0. That tens of thousands of people are making noise, I can understand that it weighs on the peripheral players in the game. But if the players put forward the impact of the atmosphere as an argument, I would be surprised and disappointed. It is not very serious, "said the writer at the microphone of Lionel Rosso.

"Once we are on the ground, we are focused on what we have to do", shares for his part the former player of AS Monaco Luc Sonor in the show Europe 1 Football club. "After 10 minutes to a quarter of an hour, we forget that we are surrounded by tens of thousands of people. What bothers me is that when it is in camera, we say that It is not easy to motivate oneself, and when there is an audience, it is necessarily embarrassing. But no, it's the opposite: for the players, it's a plus, "said the former footballer.