France’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final for the third consecutive time were dashed after a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-final. After the match, captain Kylian Mbappé took the blame for the loss upon himself, while also offering sharp criticism of the team’s tactical and technical shortcomings.
Spain dominated midfield from the start of the match at Dallas Stadium, with Rodri and Fabián Ruiz easily controlling the tempo of the game through sustained possession. According to Mbappé, Spain seized control of the match once France’s pressing plan failed to have the intended effect.
“We had three in midfield, they had two,” Mbappé said after the match. “But Rodri and Fabián had so much time and space that they controlled the game with ease. There was a lack of communication in our press. I think we should have pressed man-to-man.”
France, who had scored 16 goals in their first six matches before the semi-final, were left struggling against Spain’s defense. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute of the first half after a foul by French defender Lucas Digne, and Pedro Porro doubled Spain’s lead in the second half. France never recovered.
Mbappé said the original plan had been to press high and disrupt Spain’s ability to keep possession in their usual rhythm. In reality, the opposite happened — Spain comfortably absorbed the pressure and retained the ball, while France struggled to hold onto it whenever they won it back.
“We didn’t execute our plan, either tactically or on the pitch. If we can’t do what’s required on a stage like a World Cup semi-final, there’s no chance of winning.”
The Real Madrid forward also criticized the team’s struggles in possession, saying, “We were very sloppy with the ball. Even when we had opportunities, we couldn’t put any real pressure on them.”
Coach Didier Deschamps brought on substitutes in place of Adrien Rabiot in the second half, but France were unable to seize control of the match even after the changes. Mbappé, who had scored eight goals in the tournament coming into the match, was kept quiet by Spain’s defense throughout the game.
Mbappé remains tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot race, having matched his tally of eight goals from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Taking responsibility for the loss as captain, Mbappé said, “As captain of this team, I take full responsibility for this defeat — I have no hesitation in saying that. We wanted to reach the final, but we couldn’t get there.”
France will play the third-place match at Miami Gardens on Saturday night, where they will face the losing side of tonight’s semi-final between Argentina and England.
