France captain Kylian Mbappé has blamed his team’s failure to execute its tactical plan for its World Cup semi-final defeat, saying the players did not perform to the standard required at that stage of the tournament.
According to a post by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X on July 14, Mbappé admitted that France failed to implement the strategy prepared for the match.
“We didn’t activate the game plan. When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal… you don’t win,” the Real Madrid forward said.
Mbappé also criticised France’s technical performance, saying the team’s execution and movement fell short of what is expected in one of football’s biggest fixtures.
“Our touches and movement were not worthy of a World Cup semifinal,” he added.
The striker’s remarks reflected the disappointment within the French camp following the team’s elimination, with players accepting responsibility for the defeat rather than attributing it to external factors.
France entered the tournament as one of the favourites and reached the semi-finals, with Mbappé finishing the competition with eight goals.
The defeat also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ tenure as France head coach, with Zinedine Zidane expected to succeed him after the tournament.
