2026 World Cup: We were not at our best against Spain, says Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the France national team, has admitted that the team was not at its best following Les Bleus’ 2-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday.
Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro were the goal-scorers for Spain as La Roja completely dominated France in the high-profile clash to reach the final of the World Cup for the first time in 16 years after the country won the 2010 edition in South Africa.
Speaking to the media after the match, Mbappe, who was tamed despite scoring eight goals in the tournament, acknowledged that the Spaniards overran France in the midfield. He also admitted that he and his teammates were not at their best tactically in the match.
“We were three against two in midfield, and against Spain, that’s hard. Fabian 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,” the Real Madrid forward said.
He added, “We didn’t play the game we wanted, technically, tactically. When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win. Spain respected their game plan and what the team usually does. They like to control the ball and the tempo. Our plan was to press them high so they could not install their rhythm.”
Meanwhile, despite the defeat, France head coach Didier Deschamps said after the match that he was proud of Mbappé and his teammates for their efforts in reaching the World Cup semi-finals.
“It’s not the time to talk about the future. It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final. I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we’ve done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup—to take the French team to the highest level.
“I have been lucky as a player. I have enjoyed happy moments. Today is not such a moment. We must accept it without forgetting everything we experienced,” the coach stated.
Deschamps’ last match as head coach of the team would be the third-place match between France and the loser of the semi-final match between Argentina and England. He is set to be replaced by former France international Zinedine Zidane.
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