Kylian Mbappe admits France failed to execute their game plan as Spain secured a dominant 2-0 victory to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
When you win, you hold your head high; when you lose, you have to keep it: Mbappe / Credit: FIFA
France captain Kylian Mbappe admitted his side failed to execute its game plan as Spain dictated the tempo in a comprehensive 2-0 victory to book a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
Spain produced a commanding display from start to finish, nullifying France’s star-studded attack while controlling possession and creating the better chances throughout the semifinal.
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“We didn’t play the match we wanted to play, whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance. When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win,” Mbappe said after the match.
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“Spain stuck to their game plan. In terms of controlling the game, they’re better than us; we weren’t able to do that. There were too many technical errors. We didn’t play the match we had prepared for; we let them dictate the tempo, and if Spain dictates the tempo with their ball control and overall level, it’s difficult.”
The France skipper felt his side failed to disrupt Spain’s rhythm from the outset.
“It was up to us to change that. How? From the start, in our pressing, in the way we pressed them, we always found ourselves three against two in midfield, and against Spain, that’s always difficult.”
France’s defeat ended an 11-match unbeaten run in World Cup knockout games since a 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Germany in 2014 (10 wins, one draw). It was also Les Bleus’ fourth World Cup semifinal defeat in eight appearances (1958, 1982, 1986 and 2026) and their third successive semifinal elimination at the hands of Spain, following defeats at Euro 2024 and the UEFA Nations League in 2025.
Mbappe also admitted France lacked the quality required to trouble the European champions.
“We needed to play one-on-one; this is a team that doesn’t like to run. When we won the ball back, the first passes, the first touches weren’t worthy of a World Cup semifinal. It’s a huge disappointment, of course, but if we’re objective, we didn’t put in all the necessary effort.
“I feel very disappointed. It was a dream for us to reach the final and give our country that chance to dream.
“When you win, you hold your head high; when you lose, you have to keep it. I’m struggling to find the words. We’ll have to pick ourselves up, go on holiday and put this defeat behind us because other things will come up at club and international level.”
France will now face the loser of the other semifinal in the third-place playoff, which will also mark Didier Deschamps’ final match in charge of the national team.
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