Kylian Mbappe’s blunt take after Spain loss: ‘Our performance was not worthy of a semifinal’
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kylian Mbappe’s blunt take after Spain loss: ‘Our performance was not worthy of a semifinal’")
Mbappe after Spain WC loss ‘Our performance was not worthy of a semifinal’ Photograph: (X)
A brutally honest Kylian Mbappé opened up after France's 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss to Spain, admitting their performance was "not worthy of a semifinal." Read the captain's full tactical breakdown of France's midfield struggles and their plans to rebuild.
France captain and star striker Kylian Mbappé rued the end of his team’s dream of a third World Cup crown after losing 2-0 to Spain. Mbappé, who jointly leads the race (with Lionel Messi) for the Golden Boot with eight goals, blamed tactical and technical blunders for his side’s shocking exit in the first semifinal on Tuesday.
For the third time in as many World Cup editions, Mbappé emerged as the top force for France in their lead-up to the last four, netting the most goals. However, the 27-year-old failed to find the back of the net in this crucial game, as Spain scored two to punch their final ticket.
Speaking with the French broadcaster M6, Mbappé said the loss had been a huge disappointment for the French squad, and that their performance was not worthy of a semifinal showdown. Being blunt in his assessment, Mbappé said that the way they played against Spain, France did not deserve to win.
"I don't think we played the match we wanted to play -- whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level," Mbappe said. "And when you don't do what you're supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don't win.”
"Our goal was to press them high up the pitch to prevent them from settling into that slow, controlled rhythm -- because when it comes to controlling the game, they are better than us. We failed to do that."
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Mbappé pinpointed the crux of the problem in midfield, where France's duo of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni rapidly found themselves overrun by Spain's triumvirate of Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz.
"We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield," Mbappé said. "And against Spain, that's a real problem...When you put it all together, the result is a defeat. It's a huge disappointment."
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Mbappe after Spain WC loss ‘Our performance was not worthy of a semifinal’ Photograph: (X)
Mbappé said France’s squad was determined to bounce back after digesting the lessons of the loss.
"It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country the chance to keep dreaming and to make history," he said. "Now, it is something we have to face with our heads held high. I believe that when you win, you win with your head held high; so, when you lose, you have to lose with your head held high, too.
"But right now, there is immense disappointment. I find it hard to put into words just how disappointed the squad and I are.
"Yet even if it might seem a bit robotic at times, we have to pick ourselves up, go on vacation, and move on to the next chapter. Because football waits for no one. We have to start over, put this failure behind us, and learn from it."
France will now feature in the 3rd-place play-off match against the loser of the England vs Argentina second semifinal.
