Mbappé: We Won the Second Half, But Not the Match

France captain Kylian Mbappé was far from pleased after his team's spectacular 4-6 loss to England in the World Cup third-place playoff. He was critical of their first-half performance, believing the players let down legendary coach Didier Deschamps in his farewell match. However, the superstar forward praised the team's second-half display, which saw them come close to an incredible comeback.

"There were two completely different halves. I can understand people saying the first half was a complete joke and that we didn't respect the jersey. I'd say we were too human. Unfortunately, we were completely stunned. They really woke us up. In the second half, we became top-level players again – mental machines who put emotions aside. We managed to do what we do best: win the second half, but ultimately, we didn't win the match," Mbappé candidly stated.

The striker shared that the entire squad wanted to give Didier Deschamps, who departed after the match, a fitting send-off. However, the poor start left a feeling of betrayal, though he emphasized it wouldn't overshadow the coach's successes.

"What annoys me most is for the coach. We wanted to do something special for him, but unfortunately, the first half left the impression that we betrayed him. We didn't want to feel that way at the end. But that's football; we want to thank the coach for everything he has done. This match will not tarnish the legend of Didier Deschamps," the captain asserted.

With his two goals today, Mbappé took the lead over Lionel Messi in the race for most World Cup goals. However, he stated that this record wasn't his primary concern.

"My record? Messi will score, that's for sure. I'm just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals in a World Cup, it helps you develop in a certain way. But I would have preferred not to be the all-time leading scorer and instead play in the final match tomorrow. It's good for history and the legacy you leave, but today, that's not the first thing on my mind at all," Mbappé concluded.