Ousmane Dembélé's half-time speech reportedly angered France teammates

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France's disappointing World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain may have been accompanied by internal tensions, with fresh reports claiming there was a heated exchange inside the dressing room at half-time.

According to L'Équipe, emotions were already running high as Didier Deschamps' side trailed after a frustrating opening 45 minutes in which Spain controlled possession and largely neutralised France's attacking stars.

The French newspaper reports that Ousmane Dembélé attempted to motivate his teammates during the interval but instead provoked an angry reaction.

According to the report, the Paris Saint-Germain forward criticised the team's pressing, arguing that France were not closing down Spain's players aggressively enough or working together as a unit.

Rather than inspiring the squad, the comments reportedly irritated several teammates.

L'Équipe claims some players questioned why Dembélé chose that moment to challenge the group, particularly as the winger himself had struggled to influence the match despite arriving in excellent form.

Before the semi-final, Dembélé had scored five goals and provided two assists in seven World Cup appearances, making him one of France's standout performers during the tournament.

However, his attempt to change the mood inside the dressing room is said to have had the opposite effect, with frustration reportedly growing instead of easing.

Whatever was said during the break failed to alter the course of the match. Spain remained firmly in control throughout the second half, added another goal and completed a deserved 2:0 victory to reach the World Cup final.

After the final whistle, the French players, including Dembélé, acknowledged that Luis de la Fuente's side had simply been the better team on the night.