Kylian Mbappe has questioned manager Didier Deschamps’ tactical approach following France’s 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain.
The result ensured Les Bleus would not reach a remarkable third-straight World Cup final, while Mbappe was held scoreless for just the second time at this year’s tournament.
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Mbappe: France’s press was ruined due to ‘lack of communication’
Speaking after the frustrating defeat, Mbappe lamented how France were overrun by Spain’s midfield and felt his team’s press was disjointed.
“We were three against two in midfield and against Spain, that’s hard,” Mbappe said.
“Fabiam [Ruiz] and Rodri had plenty of time to play.
“There was a lack of communication on the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and forced them to run with us.”
Although France will not progress to the final, they still have a third-place play-off to look forward to, where they will face the loser between England and Argentina in the other semi-final.
The contest marks one final chance for Mbappe to boost his goal tally at the World Cup which sits at eight and is good enough to be equal-first in the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi.
But if the Real Madrid superstar is to get amongst the goals in the bronze medal contest, he knows France must execute their game plan to perfection, something that did not transpire against Spain.
“We didn’t play the game we wanted, technically, tactically,” Mbappe said.
“When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win.
“Spain respected their game plan and what the team usually does. They like to control the ball and the tempo. Our plan was to press them high so they could not install their rhythm.”
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Although France as a collective was not up to task, Mbappe especially looked some way off his best.
Having blasted goals in five of France’s last six matches at the World Cup, the 27-year-old struggled to fashion any chances.
The ‘real’ Mbappe stood up
Mbappe’s frustration reached boiling point late in the contest when he collided with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon as he went to pick up the ball, resulting in a yellow card.
The incident, coupled with the striker walking off the field without shaking anyone’s hand upon full-time, left French journalist Erik Bielderman believing ‘the real Mbappe is back’.
“There is two Mbappe’s,” Bielderman told Gabby Agbonlahor and Shebahn Aherne on eSPORTY Breakfast.
“One who is having a mission and positive, working and sharing, being the leader of a team.
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“And when he lose his gift, his toy, when the toy is broken, suddenly the teenager who is part of him comes back, the one who is selfish, the one who is a bit aggressive, the one who doesn’t shake hands with opponents.
“The one who suddenly, in the last 20 minutes he knew the game was lost and he played for himself. He made some useless shots.
“Altogether, we are back with the Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain. The Mbappe that we know, I spoke about from the very start of the tournament, who is selfish.
“When he is selfish like that, you lose the man on the mission. The mission was lost, Mbappe was back.”
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