Kylian Mbappe has described his Euro 2024 campaign as "a failure" following France's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Spain. Despite his impressive track record, the newly signed Real Madrid forward managed to score only once in the tournament, converting a penalty against Poland in the group stage. Hampered by a broken nose and inconsistent form, Mbappe struggled to replicate his past international success.
Reflecting on the loss, Mbappe stated, "In football, you’re good or not good. I wasn’t good. 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."
This summer, the dynamic Mbappe, known for his electrifying play, was subdued. His performance was hindered by conservative tactics and a lackluster French attack, compounded by the discomfort of playing with a protective mask due to his injury.
While Mbappe's influence waned, Spain's rising star Lamine Yamal shone brightly, scoring a stunning equalizer after Randal Kolo Muani's opening goal for France. Dani Olmo netted the decisive winner shortly thereafter.
When asked about France's reaction to Spain's quick goals, Mbappe commented, "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."
