Barcelona star Jules Kounde questions need for World Cup third-place play-off: ‘The match shouldn’t have been played’ | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has admitted that France’s disappointing finish at the FIFA World Cup made it impossible for him to fully appreciate Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable individual achievement.

France concluded their campaign in fourth place after suffering a 4-6 defeat to England in the third-place play-off, just days after being beaten 0-2 by Spain in the semi-finals. 

While Mbappe reached new milestones with another two goals, Kounde acknowledged that the team’s collective disappointment outweighed any personal celebrations.

Mbappe’s milestone difficult to celebrate

Mbappe’s brace against England saw the France captain move ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot while also becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Despite recognising the significance of that achievement, Kounde admitted the result left little room for celebration inside the French dressing room.

France were humbled by England. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“The team comes first. It’s a historic moment for Kylian, who is a truly great player, but it’s hard for me to be happy today because we’ve lost and we’re out of the competition after a second consecutive defeat.”

For France, the closing stages of the tournament proved frustrating after entering the knockout rounds with hopes of reaching another World Cup final.

Instead, consecutive defeats against Spain and England left Didier Deschamps’ side without a medal despite possessing one of the competition’s strongest squads.

Kounde questions value of third-place play-off

Kounde also shared his thoughts on the match itself, suggesting that the third-place play-off presents a unique mental challenge for players who had spent weeks preparing for the possibility of reaching the final.

“What I regret most is not having reached the final; it was a very difficult match. 

Kounde questioned the legitimacy of the match. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

“Personally, I think it’s a match that shouldn’t even have been played, because it’s incredibly difficult for a professional to play it after having prepared for a single objective: the final.”

Kounde tribute to Didier Deschamps

Apart from the obvious disappointment of the result, the match also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ time as France manager.

Kounde took the opportunity to acknowledge the impact the coach had on his international career, thanking him for the years they shared together with the national team.

“I want to thank him for the years we’ve spent together, and for the competitions we’ve won and those we haven’t.

“It’s been a very positive experience,” he concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo