Mbappé Questions France’s Game Plan After World Cup Loss to Spain

What Happened?

France played Spain in the FIFA World Cup semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
France lost 2-0, and that ended their dream of reaching a third World Cup final in a row.

• France’s star player: Kylian Mbappé
• France’s coach (manager): Didier Deschamps
• Spain’s team: Defending European champions
• Final score: Spain 2, France 0

Important Point
Mbappé seemed to question his coach’s tactics after the loss.

Mbappé’s Goals and the Bigger Picture

Even though France lost, Mbappé scored 8 goals in this tournament.

• That ties him with Lionel Messi (Argentina) for the most goals (Golden Boot lead).
• Mbappé also scored 8 goals four years ago in Qatar, where France lost to Messi’s Argentina in the final.
• France won the World Cup eight years ago in Russia against Croatia.

Why Did France Lose? Mbappé’s Simple Explanation

Mbappé said Spain was better in almost every way.

• In the middle of the field, Spain had 3 players vs France’s 2 — that’s hard to beat.
• Spain’s Rodri and Fabian Ruiz had lots of free time to pass the ball.
• France did not communicate well when trying to press (chase) the ball.
• Mbappé said: “We should have done man-to-man press” — meaning each French player should stick to one Spanish player like glue.

Spain has now beaten France three times in a row.

How the Match Went

France played badly in every part of the game.

1. Spain scored first from a penalty after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal. Mikel Oyarzabal took the penalty.
2. France never got control of the game.
3. Spain controlled the ball and the speed of the game.
4. France’s plan was to press high and stop Spain’s rhythm — but they failed.
5. France also made mistakes when they got the ball back: “Our first touches were not good enough.”

Important Point
Mbappé said: “We didn’t play the game we wanted, technically, tactically.”

Coach Tried to Fix It, But Nothing Worked

Deschamps made changes in the second half:

• Took off Adrien Rabiot at halftime
• Brought on Désiré Doué
• Later brought on Rayan Cherki (Manchester City attacker)

None of these switches changed the result.

Cherki said after the game:

• “They were better than us in every part of the game.”
• “We are a better team than them, but today Spain was better.”
• “We’ll be back in four years, and we won’t make the same mistakes.”

Mbappé’s Frustration Moment

In the 86th minute, Mbappé got angry.

• He ran toward Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón as Simón bent to pick up the ball.
• They crashed, Simón fell, and Mbappé got a yellow card (a warning).
• Mbappé said as captain he takes full responsibility: “We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”

What’s Next for France?

France will play for third place on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

• They will face the loser of Wednesday’s semifinal: Argentina vs England.

Summary

France lost 2-0 to Spain in the World Cup semifinal. Mbappé questioned the team’s tactics, saying they were outnumbered in midfield and should have pressed man-to-man. France played poorly in all areas, the coach’s changes didn’t help, and Mbappé got a yellow card for a late clash with the Spanish keeper. France now plays for third place, and Mbappé says the team must learn from this.

FAQ

1. What is a World Cup semifinal?
It is one of the last two games. The winner goes to the final to fight for the trophy; the loser plays for third place.

2. What does “press” mean in soccer?
It means players run at the opponent who has the ball to try to win it back quickly.

3. Why did Mbappé get a yellow card?
He collided with Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón near the end of the game, and the referee warned him with a yellow card.

4. What is the Golden Boot?
It is the award for the player who scores the most goals in the tournament. Mbappé and Messi are tied at 8 goals.

5. When is France’s next game?
Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, for the third-place match.