Kylian Mbappé was smiling on Sunday evening after the return match against Croatia. Three days after its nasty defeat in Split (2-0), the French team has indeed reversed the situation at the Stade de France, in turn winning 2-0 before tearing out from penalties the qualification for the semi-finals of the League of Nations. A qualification which he ensures that he had never doubted.
“We got up with the idea that we could spend a big evening. We were convinced that we could do something big. We didn't want to let them breathe, otherwise they make you run. We lacked goals. Michael puts a great free kick and Ousmane is very effective ”, He thus entrusted to the microphone of TF1 at the end of the meeting, before paying tribute to Mike Maignan, true hero of this qualification, as well as to the public of the Stade de France: “We know that we have a goalkeeper who makes the difference in penalties so we have an advantage. It was a goal, we were convinced that we were going to do it. We needed a match like that to put the audience with us. We wanted to put the most hostile climate as possible, in the rules. »»
Didier Deschamps in support of Kylian Mbappé
On the lawn, Kylian Mbappé must nevertheless had to be satisfied with the minimum by showing the way during the penalty shootout. Because if he scored his attempt, he once again remained silent in front of the goal, chaining a seventh game aimless with the Blues. This is nothing less than its longest scarcity in the France team. However, he would have taken more to spoil his happiness. “We're going to the Final Four now. There is a title to the key, we will try to go get it ”he blown.
And despite this black series, Didier Deschamps had only good to say about his captain. “He is radiant, Kylian has been a great leader since the beginning of the week, with very fair speeches on the field and outside, a lot of enthusiasm and will, and he was the leader to prepare for this match too. He had a difficult period, we will not come back on it but he took the relay of Lloris and Varane very well after the 2022 World Cup. He was a great player and it was a great leader and captain on this rally ”he said about it.
