A disappointed Kylian Mbappé and France will now play in the third-place playoffs.
Kylian Mbappé cut a disconsolate figure on Tuesday evening as he reflected on the end of France’s World Cup dream, candidly identifying the tactical and technical failures that consigned his side to a 2-0 semi-final defeat against Spain.
Mbappé had emerged as the tournament’s shining light during Les Bleus' run to the last four, scoring eight goals as the spearhead of a free-scoring attack that captivated the global audience. But the 27-year-old captain’s ambitions of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final were extinguished abruptly as Spain delivered a masterclass at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Speaking to French broadcaster M6, Mbappé admitted the result was a "huge disappointment" for the dressing room.
"I don't think we played the match we wanted to play — whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level," Mbappé conceded. "And when you don't do what you're supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don't win.
