France captain Kylian Mbappé admitted his side fell short of the standard required to reach the FIFA World Cup final following their semi-final defeat to Spain.
According to a post by football outlet Touchline on X on July 14, Mbappé said France failed to execute its tactical plan, while Spain deserved to advance after remaining committed to its approach throughout the match.
“When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win,” Mbappé said.
The Real Madrid forward praised Spain’s discipline and organisation, acknowledging that the European champions were the better team on the day.
“Spain stayed true to their game plan. If we are honest, we did not have what it takes to go to the final,” he added.
Mbappé’s comments reflected the disappointment within the French camp after the team’s elimination. Despite another impressive tournament, in which he finished among the competition’s leading scorers, France was unable to secure a place in the final.
Spain’s victory booked its place in the World Cup final, where it will aim to add another global title to its recent European Championship success.
France will now turn its attention to the third-place playoff as it seeks to end its World Cup campaign on a positive note.
