One match will not tarnish Deschamps’ legacy: Kylian Mbappe as France finished 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 by England in the World Cup third-place play-off, but insisted one disappointing afternoon will never destroy the outgoing coach’s legacy.
Deschamps made his fourth exit after 14 years in charge of the French national team as he watched them lead 4-0 at half-time before producing a spirited second-half comeback that ultimately fell short.
Mbappe, who scored twice in the defeat, acknowledged that France had let themselves and their coach down in a disastrous opening 45 minutes, but praised the team’s response after the break.
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THE FIRST HALF OF REGRETS
Reflecting on the roller-coaster encounter, Mbappe admitted France were overwhelmed by England’s intensity from the opening whistle.
“It was two very different halves. During the first I understand why some people think we made fools of ourselves and didn’t do the kit justice,” Mbappe said.
“Instead, I’d say we were human and we can’t afford that. We were completely overwhelmed and really woken up.”
England raced into a 4-0 lead before half-time through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka, whose first-half struggles left France facing an impossible task.
However, Mbappe was encouraged by the character his team-mates showed after the restart as Les Bleus threatened an unlikely comeback.
“In the second half, we got back to being top-level players, mental machines.
France scored four times after the break through Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele to reduce 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.
HERITAGE INTACT
Despite the defeat, Mbappe said the biggest disappointment was not being able to send Deschamps off with a win in his final match 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 gave the impression the team had abandoned the man who led them to the 2018 World Cup title and another final four years later.
“The first half feels like we let him down. That’s not how we wanted him to feel at all.”
However, Mbappe was adamant that Deschamps’ place among France’s top coaches should not be judged on one difficult afternoon.
“That match will not tarnish the legacy of Didier Deschamps.”
Deschamps bowed out as one of the most decorated managers in French football history, winning the World Cup in 2018, reaching another final in 2022 and guiding France to fourth place in 2026.
While France fell collectively, Mbappe enjoyed another record-breaking night. His two goals took his career tally at the World Cup to 22, moving past Lionel Messi’s total, while his 10 goals at the tournament secured the Golden Boot despite Les Bleus missing out on the podium.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
Jul 19, 2026 05:36 IST