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07/15 10:51 CDT Kylian Mbapp-led France falls flat in World Cup loss to Spain
when hopes for a title were high
Kylian Mbapp-led France falls flat in World Cup loss to Spain when hopes for a
title were high
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) --- Kylian Mbapp had France poised for another run to
the World Cup final with a team that seemingly had the offensive firepower to
solve Spain's stout defense.
Instead, Les Bleus had no answers in a 2-0 semifinal loss at the home of the
NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday in what is presumably coach Didier Deschamps'
final appearance on soccer's biggest stage.
Deschamps, who has said this would be his last World Cup, won a title as a
player in 1998 and again as a coach eight years ago in Russia before leading
France to the final in 2022 in Qatar. Argentina won that championship in a
penalty shootout.
"I've been lucky as a player to enjoy happy moments," Deschamps said through a
translator, while also saying it wasn't yet time to discuss his future. "Today
is not such a moment. But I think we must accept it without forgetting
everything that we've experienced so far. But today's feeling is that I am not
happy."
The disappointment reverberated from Texas across the Atlantic Ocean. A number
of clashes reportedly broke out in Paris, with incidents between law
enforcement and young people also reported in Lyon.
French media lamented that their team had been unable to reproduce the
exhilarating performances it had delivered while never trailing in its first
six World Cup matches.
L'quipe, France's leading sports newspaper, noted that Deschamps' players had
been outplayed in every aspect of the game, "unable to live up to their dreams
and to the hope they had inspired."
Those players didn't disagree, although Mbapp was quick to defend his coach,
and said he would play hard for Deschamps in the third-place match against the
Argentina-England loser on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
"Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as a French people. As a
manager, as a player, he wrote an amazing story," said the France captain, who
got a quick hug from his coach on the sideline after the final whistle.
"There's one game left for him, so we're going to try to play the best game for
him because he deserves it, and also the fans deserve to have a win and finish
third in this World Cup."
The dangerous playmaking of Mbapp, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise never
showed up in what ended up being Spain's sixth clean sheet in seven World Cup
appearances this year.
Mbapp's best chance came in the 67th minute when his shot deflected off Spain
defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. La Roja already had a two-goal lead
at that point.
The 27-year-old Mbapp, who entered the day level with Argentina superstar
Lionel Messi for the tournament lead in goals with eight, showed some
frustration with a yellow card in the 86th minute. He rushed toward Unai Simn
just as the Spain goalkeeper was bending over to pick up the ball. The two
collided, sending Simn to the grass.
"In so many ways, France was missing everything today," Rayan Cherki said
through a translator. "We'll be back in four years, and we won't make the same
mistakes."
___
See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
