Kylian Mbappe saw it for himself on the field: France simply didn’t play well enough to reach a third consecutive World Cup final. The France striker will have to settle for a third-place match and the continuing chase for another Golden Boot award in a tight race with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. Mbappé, one of the biggest stars of this year's World Cup and one of the game's greatest scorers, just couldn't generate many chances in his team's 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinals on Tuesday.
"Because they are better than us at controlling a game. We didn't manage to do it, Mbappé explained when asked about the loss post-game. "We were too sloppy technically.
We could not hurt them when we could have. Even when we recovered the ball, our first touches were not good enough. That gives a defeat." "At the end of the day, you take all the glory when you win," Mbappé said.
"When you don’t win … it’s part of the game. As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility, and I have no problem with that. We wanted to go to the final.
We didn’t go." Mbappé had the fewest touches of any forward in the first half with 15. Perhaps his most prominent moment was trying to persuade referee Ivan Barton that the penalty resulting in Spain's first goal shouldn't have been called. The foul by Lucas Digne on teenager Lamine Yamal stood, and Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty kick in the 22nd minute, put Spain ahead for good.
Mbappé's best chance came in the 67th minute when his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. La Roja already had a two-goal lead at that point. "It’s a team who loves to have control of the game, control of the ball," Mbappé said.
"That’s what we let them do. We let the midfield too much time to play, and at the end of the day they had quality to play. It’s difficult when you don’t change the play of Spain.
We weren’t at the level to go to the final." The 27-year-old Mbappé was issued a yellow card in the 86th minute when he rushed toward Unai Simón just as the Spain goalkeeper was bending over to pick up the ball. The two collided, sending Simón to the grass. Mbappé started the match against Spain after exiting in the 77th minute of his team’s 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco, when he scored his eighth goal of the tournament.
Mbappé also scored eight goals four years ago in Qatar, where France lost to Messi and Argentina in a penalty shootout in the final. France beat Croatia to win the World Cup eight years ago in Russia. "They (France) can punish you at every single moment, so I think the focus in every single minute was key in this game," Spain midfielder Rodri said.
"Unbelievable effort by everyone." Mbappé was critical of not just his own performance and the lack of execution by the players, but the tactics France went with against Spain. "We were three against two in midfield and against Spain, that's hard, per GOAL. "Fabian [Ruiz] and Rodri had plenty of time to play.
There was a lack of communication on the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and force them to run with us." However, Mbappé also spoke glowingly about the importance of the third-place game on Saturday, manager Didier Deschamp's last running France. "Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as the French people, as a manager.
There is one game left for him and we have to play the best game for him because he deserves it and the fans deserve it, to finish third in this World Cup." That game has personal significance, as well. After going without a score against Spain, Mbappé and Messi have eight goals each so far at this year's tournament. Mbappé, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup four years ago in Qatar, holds the first tiebreaker with a 3-2 lead on assists.
Messi and defending champion Argentina will play again on Wednesday in the other semifinal match against England, giving Messi a one-game advantage in terms of chances to score again – the Argentine star was also held without a goal in his previous match. Both players will then have one more match before the award is decided. France will play the loser of the other semifinal match in the third-place game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Spain will take on the winner in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the final. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
