Kylian Mbappe admits the harsh truth: What did he say to Deschamps?

The French national team finished the 2026 World Cup without a medal. After trailing 0-4 at halftime in the bronze medal match against England, the French staged a strong comeback after the break but could not avoid a 4-6 defeat.

After the match Kylian Mbappe sharply criticized the performance in the first 45 minutes. The France captain spoke openly about the defeat, the team's attitude, and Didier Deschamps' legacy.

“We lost our minds in the first half”

Mbappe noted that France played far below their level in the first half. Therefore, it is understandable that fans criticized the players for not defending the honor of the national team jersey properly.

“We are only human. But at this level, we have no right to make such mistakes. We completely lost our minds in the first half, and the opponent taught us a harsh lesson,” said Mbappe.

England scored four unanswered goals before halftime. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick in the match, becoming the main hero of the bronze medal game.

France completely changed after the break

In the second half, the French increased their attacking intensity and put serious pressure on the English defense. Mbappe scored twice and led his team in a major comeback.

Although France narrowed the score to 4-3, they conceded two more goals in the final minutes. As a result, England won 6-4 and secured the World Cup bronze medals.

“In the second half, we became high-level players again. We played like a real machine mentally. But we still couldn't win,” said the France captain.

Mbappe spoke as if apologizing to Deschamps

According to Mbappe, the players wanted to win the bronze medal primarily for Didier Deschamps, who was managing his final match for the national team.

He admitted that the poor performance in the first half might have looked like a sign of disrespect toward the coach. However, he emphasized that the players had no such intention.

“We wanted to achieve the result primarily for him. This game will not cast any shadow on Didier Deschamps' legacy.”

Deschamps has been managing the France national team since 2012. Under his leadership, the team became World Champions in 2018, reached the 2022 World Cup final, and won the UEFA Nations League. The match against England was the final game of his 14-year tenure.

Mbappe made history despite the defeat

Kylian Mbappe reached 10 goals in the 2026 World Cup with his brace in the bronze medal match. He is two goals ahead of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race before the final.

Also, the French striker's total goals in World Cups reached 22. He surpassed Messi's record of 21 goals, becoming the top scorer in the history of the tournament.

Mbappe set a personal record, but it is clear from his words that this result did not diminish the pain of the defeat. France remained without a medal, and Deschamps ended his long tenure with the national team with a painful match.

Do you think Didier Deschamps' 14-year tenure in France can be considered successful?