Les Bleus are feeling blue after their Euro 2024 performance.
France captain Kylian Mbappé expressed strong disappointment in his team’s tournament stint, following their semifinal elimination to Spain in Munich on Tuesday.
“My competition? It was difficult,” Mbappé told reporters, per ESPN. “It was a failure. We had the ambition to be European champions; I had the ambition to be European champion. We aren’t that, so it’s a failure.”
Kylian Mbappé reacts after missing on a scoring opportunity during the Euro 2024 semifinal match against Spain.
Randal Kolo Muani headed in a cross from Mbappé within the first 10 minutes of the match to give France an early lead over Spain on Tuesday.
However, Spain responded quickly with goals from young superstar Lamine Yamal, 16, and Dani Olmo, taking a lead in the 25th minute they would never relinquish.
Mbappe, who helped France win the 2018 World Cup, was expected to lead his country to their fourth European Championship final in Germany.
However, he recorded just one goal — a penalty against Poland — and two assists, including Tuesday’s to Muani, in Euro 2024.
The tournament started poorly for the Real Madrid forward, who broke his nose in France’s opening match against Austria and missed the following game against the Netherlands.
Kylian Mbappe wearing protective face mask during UEFA EURO 2024 quarterfinal match between Portugal and France.
UEFA via Getty Images
Refusing surgery that would end his tournament, he returned with a mask.
Mbappé had complained the mask hindered him and ditched it in the semifinal after he got hit in the same area.
“Wearing a mask was not easy for him, it restricted his vision and was an inconvenience,” France coach Didier Deschamps said in a conference following the loss. “There was a medical consultation with the staff and Kylian felt more at ease without the mask.”
Deschamps became the coach in 2012, taking France to a World Cup championship in 2018 and a European Championship final in 2016.
France head coach Didier Deschamps reacting during the UEFA EURO 2024 Semi-Final against Spain.
“I am not going to pass on the responsibility, I am in charge and I am responsible,” Deschamps said.
“It was great because we took the lead, but this Spanish side masters the game so well. We didn’t perform so well in the end. We didn’t manage to play as vertically as I would have wished.
“We did push until the end. I will not say that my players did not give their all. But they did not all play at 100 percent of their capacity in this Euros for several reasons.”
French forward Antoine Griezmann, who was a key member of the 2018 World Cup Championship team alongside Mbappé, has also faced criticism regarding his Euro 2024 performance.
Deschamps removed the 33-year-old, who failed to find the back of the net throughout the tournament, from the starting lineup ahead of the critical semifinal match.
Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann reacting after UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final loss to Spain.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who was sidelined for the quarterfinal against Portugal through suspension, had critical words on his teammate’s performance, according to The Athletic.
“I don’t know how to explain it, maybe he is less physically fit. We expect a lot more from Antoine because he is capable of doing a lot more,” Rabiot said.
“We can win without Antoine, we have a high-level team. But obviously it would be easier if we had Greizmann and Kylian Mbappe at the top of their game.”
Mbappe now will move onto his debut with Real Madrid — the 36-time La Liga champs and 15-time UEFA Champions League titleholders — against Real Mallorca on the weekend of Aug. 18 to tip off the season.
“It’s football. We have to move on,” Mbappe said. “It’s been a long year. I’m going to go on holiday and get some rest — that’ll do me a lot of good, and I’ll try and come back strongly.”
