Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate was in international duty for France against Spain on Thursday in the UEFA Nations League
Ibrahima Konate of France and Mikel Oyarzabal of Spain battle for the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2025 semi-final on June 5 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany
Ibrahima Konate of France and Mikel Oyarzabal of Spain battle for the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2025 semi-final on June 5 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany
Ibrahima Konate may have finished the domestic season as a Premier League champion but the Liverpool defender is having a much tougher time at international level. Konate was part of a France team beaten 5-4 by Spain in their UEFA Nations League semi-final in Stuttgart on Thursday evening.
Didier Deschamps' side were 5-1 down at one point before a late rally made the final scoreline more respectable. That, though, hasn't spared Konate the wrath of the media with his performance being picked apart.
The notoriously-stingy l'Equipe rated the Reds centre-back worthy of a rating of only two out of 10, although that was the same as four team-mates as the news outlet regarded his display as "very nervous" up against the likes of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.
Mind you, that was better than Konate managed in Spanish news outlet Marca where he was one of four France players who didn't even manage to be given a rating. France will now play Germany in the third-place play-off on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Alisson Becker was in action for Brazil and kept a clean sheet in their goalless World Cup qualifying draw in Ecuador in Carlo Ancelotti's first game in charge of the Selecao. Brazil are in fourth place in the 10-team South American group with the top six guaranteed to qualify.
Alexis Mac Allister wasn't included in the Argentina squad as the already-qualified reigning champions won 1-0 in Chile, while Darwin Nunez was suspended for Uruguay as they lost 2-0 in Paraguay.
Wataru Endo also failed to see any action as he was an unused substitute as Japan, who earlier this year sealed their place in next summer's tournament in the United States, lost 1-0 in Australia in their latest qualifier.