Kylian Mbappe admits France failed against Spain

France must use its World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain as the starting point for a new cycle, with Kylian Mbappe acknowledging that the team failed to execute its intended approach. The captain also accepted Spain’s current status as the world’s leading side after its victory.

Spain beat France 2-0 in the last four of the 2026 World Cup before going on to win the tournament. Mbappe said falling behind made the task harder against a team built around possession, while the knockout format left France without the chance of a second leg to recover. He described the defeat as a missed opportunity rather than disputing Spain’s superiority.

The result ended France’s latest bid for a major title and came before the start of a new era under Zinedine Zidane, who has replaced Didier Deschamps as coach. The first squad list since the tournament is due on Friday at 18:00, as France begins to move beyond its elimination.

Mbappe’s next international sequence starts on 25 September against Turkey in the Nations League. France will then face Belgium on 28 September, Italy on 2 October and Belgium again on 5 October. Mbappe said the team still has the quality to challenge for every trophy, but must create better opportunities in future matches.