Yardbarker
x
France's Kylian Mbappe takes blame for World Cup loss to Spain
France's Kylian Mbappe. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

France's Kylian Mbappe takes blame for World Cup loss to Spain

By Clark Dalton  |  Last updated Jul 14, 2026 8:12 PM ET
Google Add us as a preferred source on Google

Kylian Mbappe was quiet in France's 2-0 loss to Spain in its 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday. 

Mbappe scored no goals in the contest and had no shots on goal. It marked the first time he failed to record a shot on goal at the World Cup since the 2022 quarterfinals against England. 

French fans certainly expected more from their captain. He acknowledged that in a postgame interview with Fox Sports' Jenny Taft. 

Kylian Mbappe reacts to FIFA World Cup elimination

"At the end of the day, when you win, you take all the glory. When you lose, you have to, sorry, to take s---," Mbappe said. "It's part of the game. It's part of my game. It's part of my life. And as a captain, I have to take all the responsibility. I have no problem with that. We wanted to go to the final. We didn't go. So, now, we have to go and take what people do to us."

France must wait until the 2030 World Cup to win its third title. In the meantime, the Blues should take some cues from Spain's stingy defense. The French created zero big chances (clear scoring opportunities) and posted a terrible 0.31 expected goal rate (the probability of shots resulting in a goal) in the match. The offensive struggles make France's bitter loss sting even more. 

"Like everyone, a lot of disappointment," Mbappe told French outlet M6 (h/t Dante Gonzalez of World Soccer Talk). "It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country that chance to dream, to make history. There is a tremendous amount of disappointment, I can't quite find the words for it. We'll have to lift our heads up, go on holiday and start again. Football waits for no one. Other things will be at stake on the international and club level."

Mbappe, 27, still has much to celebrate from this tournament. He entered Tuesday with eight goals, tied with Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the most in the 2026 World Cup. He can continue to build on that performance to help France avenge its heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup Final and Tuesday's result. 

Clark Dalton
X Muck Rack

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.