One match won't tarnish Deschamps' legacy: Kylian Mbappe as France finish fourth
France captain Kylian Mbappe admitted Les Bleus failed to give Didier Deschamps the farewell they had hoped for after their dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, but insisted one disappointing afternoon would never tarnish the outgoing coach’s legacy.
Deschamps signed off after 14 years in charge of the French national team with a fourth-place finish, having watched his side trail 4-0 at half-time before producing a spirited second-half comeback that ultimately came up short.
Mbappe, who scored twice in the defeat, acknowledged France had let themselves and their coach down during a disastrous opening 45 minutes but praised the team’s response after the break.
France vs England, FIFA World Cup 3rd Place Play-Off: Highlights | Report
FIRST-HALF REGRET
Reflecting on the rollercoaster encounter, Mbappe admitted France were overwhelmed by England’s intensity from the opening whistle.
“There were two very different halves. During the first one, I can understand why some people think we made fools of ourselves and didn’t do the jersey justice,” Mbappe said.
“I’d say instead that we were human, and we can’t afford to be. We were completely stunned, and they really shook us awake.”
England stormed into a 4-0 lead before half-time through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka, whose first-half brace left France facing an impossible task.
However, Mbappe was encouraged by the character his teammates showed after the restart as Les Bleus threatened an unlikely comeback.
“In the second half, we went back to being top-level players, mental machines.”
France scored four times after the interval through Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, reducing the deficit to one goal before Bukayo Saka converted a late penalty and Jude Bellingham added another in stoppage time to seal England’s bronze medal.
LEGACY INTACT
Despite the defeat, Mbappe said the biggest disappointment was failing to send Deschamps off with a victory in his final game as France coach.
“In the end, we didn’t win, and that’s a shame for the coach. We wanted to do something for him.”
The France captain admitted the first-half collapse created the impression that the squad had abandoned the man who led them to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title and another final four years later.
“The first half gives the impression that we let him down. That’s not at all how we wanted him to feel.”
Mbappe, however, was adamant that Deschamps’ place among France’s greatest coaches should not be judged on one difficult afternoon.
“That match isn’t going to tarnish Didier Deschamps’ legacy.”
Deschamps bows out as one of the most decorated managers in French football history, having won the World Cup in 2018, reached another final in 2022 and guided France to a fourth-place finish in 2026.
While France fell short collectively, Mbappe enjoyed another record-breaking evening. His two goals took his career World Cup tally to 22, moving him past Lionel Messi’s total, while his 10 goals in the tournament secured the Golden Boot despite Les Bleus missing out on the podium.
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