France manager Didier Deschamps has insisted that his side did all they could to beat Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals.
A 12th-minute headed goal from Mats Hummels was enough to separate the two sides in Rio de Janeiro, to set up a fourth straight semi-final for Joachim Low's charges.
"I think we did what we had to - hustle," Deschamps is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "We had opportunities, but they are a team that has more experience than us.
"They managed their lead. We had an opponent who was of a higher level today. Even if we had the desire and ambition, there was not a huge difference between us and the German team, but it is they who are in the semi-finals."
Germany will face the winners of the South American meeting between Brazil and Colombia later tonight, live commentary of which can be found here.