Didier Deschamps has told his France players to "clear their heads" after Les Bleus' dreadful Nations League title defence was ended by Croatia.
Luka Modric's fifth-minute penalty at the Stade de France earned Zlatko Dalic's side a 1-0 win on Monday, with Croatia gaining a measure of revenge for their 2018 World Cup final defeat.
The loss means France can no longer finish top of Group A1, and as such prevents them from qualifying for the Nations League finals and retaining their crown.
France are not in action again now until September, when their objective will be avoiding a humiliating relegation from the Nations League's top tier.
They certainly have work to do on that front as they sit bottom of the group after four games, having only mustered two draws and a couple of defeats this month.
Deschamps seemed to blame fatigue for France's struggles but also accepted the players of most other teams will have been in a comparable condition physically.
Speaking to TF1 at full-time, Deschamps said: "This month of June was very difficult in terms of results.
"We didn't have enough energy and strength against teams that had more than us. We weren't successful either. It was above all the freshness that was not there.
"There are always lessons to be learned with these results. Each match is rich in lessons.
"The succession of matches was very hard, we lost players from one match to another. No doubt that others nations were affected [by fatigue].
"[The players] will have to clear their heads and go back to their club and start again for this new season."
The defeat represented the first match since November 2020 in which France failed to score (23 games).
De la Fuente says Spain received toughest draw for Euro 2024
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente believes La Roja have received the toughest draw for the group stage of Euro 2024, having been handed games against Italy, Croatia and Albania.
As one of five teams with the best records across the qualification groups, Spain joined hosts Germany, as well as England, France, Portugal and Belgium in pot one for Saturday's draw in Hamburg.
That did not stop them being handed a tough set of opponents, however, with reigning champions Italy and 2022 World Cup bronze medallists Croatia joining La Roja and Albania in Group B.
Spain are the only team to win back-to-back editions of the Euros, triumphing in 2008 and 2012, and excluding penalty shoot-outs, they have only lost two of their last 22 matches at the Euros, winning 13 and drawing seven.
The only two teams to beat La Roja at the tournament during that time are Croatia and Italy, both of whom did so in 2016.
While De la Fuente says there is no such thing as a straightforward group, he believes Spain will face a particularly difficult challenge in Germany.
"The level is very high. All the groups are tough, complex, but ours may be the highest level," the Spain boss told reporters at Saturday's draw ceremony.
"There are other complicated ones, like France and the Netherlands [in Group D], but I think ours is the most complex.
"We are playing in a European Championship, and we all know that the difficulty is at the maximum, including for teams playing against Spain.
"But that will make us concentrate from the first moment. We know perfectly how to play Italy and Croatia, and Albania are a very dangerous team.
"Italy was not in the favourites' pot, but it was guaranteed that no one wanted them. Their potential is better than the moment they are going through."
Deschamps anticipating difficult Euro 2024 group, but claims 'it's not as bad as 2021'
France coach Didier Deschamps claimed "it's not as bad as 2021" after Les Bleus discovered their Euro 2024 group-stage opponents.
Deschamps' team were drawn into Group D during Saturday's draw in Hamburg.
France will face Austria, the Netherlands – who they beat twice in qualifying – and one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
Les Bleus disappointed at the delayed Euro 2020 in 2021, going out to Switzerland on penalties in the last 16.
That was after they edged through a challenging group which included Hungary, Germany and Portugal.
"It's going to be difficult," Deschamps told TMC.
"The pot three team we'll be facing is the Netherlands. We won both our games against them [in qualifying] but it makes our group harder.
"We also faced Austria during the latest Nations League campaign and it was far from easy. We don't know yet our last opponent. But it's a difficult group.
"It's not as bad as in 2021. But we need to be ready from the start. If everything goes our way, we may able to manage our third game, it will be for the best."
Buffon fancies Italy's chances after Euro 2024 draw
Gianluigi Buffon believes Italy should be confident of going far at Euro 2024, despite being drawn into a difficult-looking group.
Reigning European champions Italy were placed into Group B during Saturday's draw in Hamburg.
That means Luciano Spalletti's team, who rather scraped through in qualifying, will go up against heavyweights Spain, 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia and Albania.
While acknowledging the draw might have been kinder, former Italy stalwart Buffon – the most-capped player in his nation's history – was bullish about the Azzurri's chances.
"It was wonderful putting that trophy back in the circle, as we feel pride and responsibility going into this competition as reigning champions," Buffon told RAI Sport, as reported by Football Italia.
"Seeing as we were in pot four, a tough draw was always going to be probable.
"This group is a bit like the one we had at Euro 2012 with Spain, Croatia and the Republic of Ireland. We went through second and reached the final.
"In the format this time, the four best third-placed sides qualify too, so that increases our chances. We are concerned, but the other teams won’t be jumping for joy at drawing Italy either.
"There will be time until June for this team to improve. In terms of individuals, there are three or four teams in the competition who have stronger squads, but when we are working as a single unit, with one mind, I don't know how many teams are really stronger than us."
Italy will open their campaign against Albania on June 15 in Dortmund, before facing Spain five days later and Croatia on June 24.
Coach Spalletti echoed Buffon's sentiments, albeit perhaps not with quite as much confidence.
"It could've gone better, but then we were in pot four. And never forget that we are Italy," he told RAI Sport.
"Anyone who loves this sport must enjoy the challenge, otherwise you lose all the pleasure of it.
"Within a match there are going to be various moments where the squad has to defend, even with 10 men around the edge of the box if necessary, but the intention is always to play attractive and attacking football."
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