France striker Kylian Mbappé acknowledged his team’s performance was not sufficient to reach a third consecutive World Cup final after their 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinals on Tuesday. Despite being one of the tournament’s prominent players and a top scorer, Mbappé found it challenging to create scoring opportunities during the match.
The result means France will now compete in a third-place match, while Spain advances to the final. Mbappé remains in contention for the Golden Boot award, currently tied with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, with both players having scored eight goals in the tournament so far. Mbappé holds a 3-2 lead in assists, which serves as the initial tiebreaker. Messi and Argentina are scheduled to play their semifinal match against England on Wednesday.
Both players will have one more opportunity to add to their goal tallies before the Golden Boot winner is determined. France is set to face the loser of the other semifinal on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, for the third-place game. Spain will play the winner of that semifinal in the final, which will take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Mbappé reflects on team’s performance
Following the defeat, Mbappé took responsibility as captain. He stated that while winning brings glory, not winning is part of the game, and he accepted the outcome. He emphasized the team’s desire to reach the final, which they ultimately did not achieve.
During the first half of the match against Spain, Mbappé recorded only 15 touches, the fewest among all forwards. A notable moment for him was attempting to convince referee Ivan Barton to overturn a penalty decision. The foul, committed by Lucas Digne on teenager Lamine Yamal, resulted in Mikel Oyarzabal converting a penalty kick in the 22nd minute, giving Spain a lead they maintained.
Mbappé’s best chance to score came in the 67th minute, but his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went wide. By this point, Spain had already established a two-goal advantage. Mbappé commented on Spain’s playing style, noting their preference for controlling the game and possession of the ball. He suggested that France allowed Spain’s midfield too much time to dictate play, which ultimately proved costly given Spain’s quality.
He further added that it becomes challenging when a team fails to disrupt Spain’s approach, concluding that France was not at the required level to advance to the final. In the 86th minute, Mbappé received a yellow card after colliding with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón, who was bending down to pick up the ball.
Tournament journey and historical context
Mbappé started the semifinal match against Spain after being substituted in the 77th minute of France’s 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco, where he scored his eighth goal of the current tournament. This marks his second consecutive World Cup with eight goals, having achieved the same tally four years prior in Qatar. In that tournament, France lost to Messi’s Argentina in a penalty shootout during the final.
Eight years ago, France secured the World Cup title by defeating Croatia in Russia. Spain midfielder Rodri praised France’s offensive capabilities, stating that they have the ability to score at any moment, which made continuous focus crucial for Spain throughout the game. He commended the collective effort of his team.
The upcoming third-place match on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, will conclude France’s participation in this year’s tournament.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
