By Martin Graham | 10th Jul 2024
“My ambition was to be champion of Europe – but it was a failure,” said Kylian Mbappe, the World Cup winner who was anticipated to lead France to victory in Germany. The £190m star fulfilled his dream move to Real Madrid this summer and captained France at Euro 2024.
However, Mbappe, who mirrored Sir Geoff Hurst’s feat with a hat-trick in the World Cup final two years prior, failed to meet expectations as France’s lackluster performance ended with a semi-final loss to Spain in Munich. Post-match, the forward labeled the tournament a “failure.” This raises the question: What went wrong for Mbappe? And why has he consistently struggled in the Euros?
World Cup star, Euro struggles
Mbappe dazzled at the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a teenager, netting four goals as France clinched their first title in two decades. He continued his impressive form with eight goals in the 2022 tournament, tying with Pele at 12 World Cup goals, including his remarkable hat-trick in the final, which ended in a penalty shootout loss to Argentina.
In stark contrast, Mbappe drew a blank at Euro 2020, with his missed penalty in the shootout leading to France’s elimination by Switzerland in the round of 16. Heading to Germany as the player to watch, Mbappe again underperformed, scoring only a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Poland, a result that forced France into a tougher knockout path.
Despite nine shots on target during the tournament, Mbappe created just three chances, including his notable assist for Randal Kolo Muani’s goal against Spain. “Mbappe delivered a wonderful ball – but that was the only bit of quality in the final third that France showed,” remarked former England defender Rio Ferdinand on BBC One. “Mbappe will be disappointed with his tournament. This is not what we have come to expect.”
Comparing his World Cup and Euro performances, Mbappe averages 1.11 goals and assists per 90 minutes in World Cup matches versus just 0.32 in nine Euro appearances. His key moment in the semi-final saw him miss a crucial shot, prompting French football expert Julien Laurens to comment, “Mbappe didn’t take his chance and, when it mattered the most, France lacked a bit of magic.”
Injury setback – ‘It was everything’
Mbappe’s tournament was undoubtedly impacted by a broken nose sustained in the closing moments of France’s opening match against Austria. This injury sidelined him for the 0-0 draw with the Netherlands before he returned, masked, to score against Poland. The mask seemed to hinder him, as he frequently adjusted it before eventually discarding it for the Spain match.
When asked if the injury had affected his performance, the 25-year-old replied, “It was everything. You shouldn’t overcomplicate it, it was either good or it was not. Voila, I was not good and we are going home. It’s simple.”
Manager Didier Deschamps acknowledged the mask’s impact earlier in the tournament but after the semi-final loss, he stated, “It was more of an inconvenience than anything else. I am not going to give the responsibility to one player more than another. When you get to the semi-finals and play a Spain team of that quality you have to be at your best and we were not.”
What’s next for Mbappe?
Having won league titles seven times in France with Monaco and Paris St-Germain, Mbappe now aims to conquer the Champions League with Real Madrid, where he will team up with Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo.
“I’ll be going on holiday,” said Mbappe. “I will rest which will do me good, and then I’ll come back very strong in a new town with a new boss.” The stage is now set for Carlo Ancelotti to guide Mbappe to new heights.
