Kylian Mbappe pinpoints where France failed after World Cup exit to Spain: ‘We couldn’t do what we wanted’ | OneFootball

While Spain celebrated qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe was left reflecting on another painful international defeat.

France’s hopes of reaching a third straight World Cup final came to an end after a 0-2 defeat to Spain, with the French captain admitting his side fell short both tactically and technically on one of football’s biggest stages.

The result not only ended France’s title challenge but also sparked an honest assessment from the Real Madrid forward, who accepted that Didier Deschamps’ side never found a way to disrupt Spain’s rhythm throughout the semi-final.

Mbappe admits France could not match Spain

Speaking after France’s World Cup semi-final defeat, Mbappe made it clear that Spain deserved their place in the final because they executed their plan far better than Les Bleus.

“There are no words to describe how disappointed we are,” he began.

The French captain then explained where he believed the game slipped away.

“We should have played one-on-one. We didn’t manage to cause Spain any trouble.”

Mbappe also criticised France’s overall display, insisting the team failed to reach the level required to compete in a FIFA World Cup semi-final.

“I don’t think we played the match we wanted to. Neither tactically nor technically, in terms of the overall standard we showed. 

Mbappe failed to influence the match against Spain. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

“And when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win.”

He went on to highlight Spain’s ability to dictate possession and explained why France struggled to execute their pressing strategy.

“Spain stuck to their game plan and what they’d set out to do. They’re a team that likes to control the ball and the tempo. 

“Our aim was to press them high up the pitch so they couldn’t establish that deceptive tempo because when it comes to controlling the game, they’re better than us. 

“We couldn’t do that and there were too many technical errors.”

Mbappe reflects on World Cup exit

Furthermore, Mbappe also admitted France failed to seize control when the game demanded it most and acknowledged that Spain consistently held the upper hand in midfield.

“We didn’t know how to hurt them when we needed to most. It was up to us to shift the balance of power, and that’s where we fell short. 

Mbappe explains where it went wrong for France. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

“We didn’t put all the necessary ingredients in place to reach the final. 

“From the start, we were always playing with a 3-against-2 numerical advantage in midfield. And against Spain, that’s difficult.”

The France captain also spoke about the emotional impact of missing out on another World Cup final, while stressing that the squad must quickly move forward.

“Now, we must face this with our heads held high. I don’t think I can put into words the disappointment that the team and I feel. 

“But, like any elite player – even if it sounds a bit robotic – we’ll have to recover, take a holiday and move on.”

Mbappe finished with a message focused on the future rather than dwelling on the defeat.

“Because football waits for no one, we’ll have to learn from this and start afresh to put this defeat behind us,” he concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo