France captain Kylian Mbappé said Les Bleus failed to deliver the performance they needed in Tuesday’s 2-0 World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain in Arlington, near Dallas.
“We did not play the match we wanted to play, tactically, technically or in terms of our overall level,” Mbappé told French broadcaster M6 after the game.
“And when you do not do what you are supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you do not win,” the forward added.
Mbappé said France were deeply disappointed and admitted the team made too many technical mistakes to trouble Spain when it mattered most.
He said Spain had stuck to their plan, built around controlling possession and dictating the tempo of the match.
France’s aim, he said, had been to press high and prevent Spain from settling into that rhythm, because “when it comes to controlling the game, they are better than us”.
“But we did not manage to do that,” he said.
Mbappé was also critical of France’s execution on the ball, saying their first passes and first touches “were not worthy of a World Cup semi-final”.
“If we are being objective, we did not put all the necessary ingredients in place to reach the final today,” he said.
After reaching the past two World Cup finals, Mbappé has now been knocked out before the final with France for the first time in his career.
He said the squad had dreamed of giving the country another chance to keep believing and to make history, but added that defeat must be accepted with dignity.
France will now play England or Argentina in the third-place play-off in Miami on Saturday.
