Kylian Mbappe rued the end of France's World Cup dream on Tuesday, citing 'immense disappointment' over the team's 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The 27-year-old French captain emerged as one of the stars of the tournament, scoring eight goals and dazzling fans worldwide. However, his side's impressive run to the last four ended abruptly as Spain outplayed Les Bleus in the semi-finals.

Mbappe pinpointed the crux of the problem in midfield, where France's duo of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni found themselves outnumbered 3-on-2 by Spain's triumvirate of Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabian Ruiz. 'We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield,' Mbappe said. 'And against Spain, that's a real problem … when you put it all together, the result is a defeat.'

When asked about the tactical decisions that led to their downfall, Mbappe stated that his team failed to press high up the pitch, allowing Spain to settle into their preferred slow and controlled rhythm. 'We failed to do that,' he said. 'Our goal was to press them high up the pitch to prevent them from settling into that slow, controlled rhythm – because when it comes to controlling the game, they are better than us.'

The defeat marked the end of France's hopes of a third consecutive World Cup final appearance. Mbappe's teammates and supporters were left stunned, with the French captain vowing to bounce back from the devastating loss. 'It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country the chance to keep dreaming and to make history,' he said. 'Now, it is something we have to face with our heads held high.'

Mbappe's words were an emotional reflection of the team's disappointment, with the squad determined to learn from their mistakes and move forward. 'When you win, you win with your head held high; so when you lose, you have to lose with your head held high, too,' he said.

'I believe that we have to digest the lessons of this defeat, and we have to pick ourselves up, go on vacation, and move on to the next chapter. Because football waits for no one. We have to start over, put this failure behind us, and learn from it.'

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been full of surprises, with France's early exit being just one of the many shocking results. The tournament has now entered its final stretch, with the winner set to be crowned in the final on June 29.