Kylian Mbappé, the captain of France, has acknowledged his team’s performance was not sufficient to reach a third consecutive World Cup final after their 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinals. Mbappé stated that as captain, he accepts full responsibility for the outcome. The match saw Spain take the lead with a penalty kick in the 22nd minute, converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, after a foul by Lucas Digne on Lamine Yamal. This goal put Spain ahead permanently.
Mbappé highlighted that France allowed Spain to control the game and the ball, giving their midfield too much time to operate. He noted that it becomes challenging when a team with quality is permitted to dictate play, suggesting France was not at the required level to advance to the final. Despite the loss, Mbappé remains in contention for the Golden Boot award, currently tied with Lionel Messi.
Golden Boot Race Intensifies
The race for the Golden Boot award continues to be a tight contest between Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. Both players have scored eight goals in the tournament so far. France‘s elimination from the final means Mbappé will play in the third-place match, while Messi‘s Argentina will compete in the other semifinal against England.
The Golden Boot award has specific tiebreakers if players finish with an equal number of goals. The first tiebreaker is the number of assists, followed by the fewest minutes played. Currently, Mbappé holds an advantage with three assists compared to Messi’s two. Mbappé also won the Golden Boot at the previous World Cup four years ago in Qatar.
In terms of minutes played, Mbappé has logged 609 minutes across seven matches, while Messi has played 531 minutes in six matches. If Messi plays at least 79 minutes in Argentina‘s upcoming semifinal, he would surpass Mbappé in total minutes, which could become a factor if the assist tiebreaker is also level. Other players like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Mikel Oyarzabal are also in the broader conversation for the award.
France’s Performance and Upcoming Match
During the semifinal match against Spain, Kylian Mbappé had limited involvement in the first half, recording the fewest touches among all forwards with 15. His most notable action was attempting to dispute the penalty call that led to Spain‘s first goal. His best scoring opportunity came in the 67th minute, but his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went wide, by which point Spain had already established a two-goal lead.
Mbappé received a yellow card in the 86th minute after colliding with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón. He had started the semifinal after being substituted in the 77th minute of France‘s 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco, where he scored his eighth goal of the tournament. Spain midfielder Rodri commented on France‘s ability to punish opponents at any moment, emphasizing the importance of focus throughout the game.
France will now play in the third-place match on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, facing the loser of the semifinal between England and Argentina. Spain will advance to the final, which will be held in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
For Mbappé to secure a second consecutive Golden Boot, his clearest path is for the current standings to remain unchanged, especially if Messi does not score or provide an assist in Argentina‘s remaining matches. However, if Messi contributes a goal or an assist in the upcoming semifinal, Mbappé would likely need to score in France‘s third-place match to maintain his chances for the award. Messi and Argentina are scheduled to play their semifinal match on Wednesday.
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Source: apnews.com
