Featured Image Credit: Marca
Topics: Euro 2024, Football, France, Injury, Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid, Spain, Fan Reactions
Alex Brotherton
Topics: Euro 2024, Football, France, Injury, Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid, Spain, Fan Reactions
Fans have spotted what Kylian Mbappe did immediately after France were knocked out of Euro 2024 by Spain.
On Tuesday France bowed out of Euro 2024 with a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Spain, bringing an end to a disappointing campaign.
France came into the tournament as one of the favourites, having come within a penalty shootout of winning the World Cup 18 months ago.
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But Didier Deschamps' side never really got going in Germany, finishing second in their group after an unconvincing win against Austria and draws with the Netherlands and Poland.
France squeezed through their round-of-16 clash with Belgium, before needing penalties to dispatch of Portugal in the quarter-finals.
On Tuesday they came up against arguably the best team of Euro 2024, but actually played well and took an early lead through Randal Kolo Muani.
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Spain soon hit back courtesy of a Lamine Yamal wondergoal and a smart Dani Olmo finish, but France weren't able to take their chances to get themselves back in the tie.
Kylian Mbappe uncharacteristically missed a couple of decent opportunities to equalise, summing up his tournament.
The 25-year-old striker broke his nose in France's opener, and looked uncomfortable playing in a protective mask thereafter.
He ditched the mask for the Spain clash, but he was unable to save his side from elimination.
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Clearly frustrated with himself and his team's performances at Euro 2024, at the full-time whistle Mbappe headed straight over to the touchline to grab a drink, rather than shaking the hands of his opponents.
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He walked around by himself for a few minutes looking contemplative, although he did eventually speak to Yamal and the other Spain players.
Footage of the incident was widely shared on social media, and fans weren't too impressed.
"He forgets… What a clown. And I'm from Madrid!" one fan commented on X, while another wrote of the new Real Madrid star: "He has the Madrid DNA without a doubt."
Other fans described Mbappe's behaviour as "impolite" and "rude", while one supporter said: "He's not at the level he was two years ago, I hope he doesn't play like that at Real Madrid because it's sad."
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After the match, Mbappe acknowledged that he and his teammates did not have a good tournament despite reaching the semi-finals.
"In football you're good or not good. I wasn't good. My Euro was a failure," he said.
"I wanted to be European champion. I will now go on holiday, I will rest well, it will do me a lot of good, then I will get ready to start a new life. There's a lot to do."
On ditching the protective face mask, Mbappe said:
"I had enough of the mask, it was affecting my performances and I couldn't deal with it anymore so I spoke to the doctor and asked to not play with it."