Euro 2024: Kylian Mbappe expresses regret over his performance as France endures defeat in the semi-finals.

Kylian Mbappe, the French forward who will soon be joining Real Madrid, expressed his disappointment after his country’s exit from the tournament. Despite scoring only one goal, a penalty against Poland, Mbappe admitted that he was not at his best during the Euros.

Reflecting on his performance, Mbappe said, “My Euro was a failure. I wanted to be European champion.. I will now go on holiday, I will rest well, it will do me a lot of good, then I will get ready to start a new life. There’s a lot to do.”

The Mbappe that fans have come to know and admire in international tournaments was nowhere to be seen this summer. Hindered by a lackluster French forward line and conservative tactics, his talent was overshadowed. Additionally, a broken nose and protective mask concealed the infectious emotion he typically displays on the field.

While Mbappe struggled, it was Spanish starlet Lamine Yamal who shone. He scored a stunning curling effort to equalize for Spain, followed by Dani Olmo’s winner just minutes later.

When asked if France were stunned by Spain’s two goals, Mbappe responded, “I don’t know. We opened the scoring, we told ourselves that we were doing the hardest part but maybe unconsciously we backed down a bit more. We put in less panache, less punch and we conceded two goals in quick succession. Afterwards, we tried to get the machine going again but it wasn’t enough. The result is what it is and that means we didn’t do enough to get to the final.”

Mbappe had a golden opportunity to send the match into extra time but unfortunately missed the target. Reflecting on his late miss, he said, “I think I have to score, at least get it on target. It goes over the bar and that’s the harsh reality of football. The mask? I was fed up, I couldn’t see well with it. I spoke to the doctor to see and he told me to make the decision like a man and I don’t regret it.”

The future of head coach Didier Deschamps is now uncertain after the team’s underwhelming performance. Deschamps took responsibility for the team’s shortcomings, stating, “I don’t want to put the responsibility on one or the other. It’s mine.. Even if we reached the semi-finals against a Spain with this quality, we have to be at our best. In the end, we were below.”

Despite suffering a broken nose, Mbappe chose not to wear a mask during the Spain game. Deschamps explained this decision, saying, “Wearing the mask caused him more inconvenience than anything else, especially in his vision. The medical staff considered that the solidification was sufficient. He felt better without the mask.”

Deschamps’ contract runs until June 2026, but the French Football Federation may reconsider their decision after the team’s lackluster displays this summer. When asked about the 2026 World Cup, Deschamps responded, “Ask my president.. We just lost a semi-final. I will not answer that today.”

Deschamps admitted that Spain were the superior side on Tuesday night, exerting control that eluded France throughout the tournament. He acknowledged, “They’re a very good team.. They were superior in their control, even if we tried until the end.”

Antoine Griezmann, another French striker who struggled to find form during the Euros, agreed that Spain were the better side. He said, “We’re all angry, sad, it’s a blow to the back of the head. I think they were better than us.. Defensively we were very good throughout the Euro and, offensively, we missed too many chances, it hurt us.”