Mbappé Denied Final
France's Kylian Mbappé Denied World Cup Final Spot After Semifinal Loss to Spain
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Kylian Mbappé will not reach a third straight World Cup final after France fell 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals, according to Yahoo Sports. The defeat ends France's run and sends Spain through to the championship match.
Despite the loss, Mbappé stays tied with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race. The award goes to the tournament's top scorer. Messi and Argentina still have a semifinal to play against England, meaning the race is far from over, KIRO 7 reported.
France Falls Flat Against Spain in Semifinal
France could not break through Spain's defense on Tuesday. The final score was 2-0, and Mbappé struggled to create chances throughout the match, WFMZ reported. It was a quiet night for one of the world's best attackers.
The loss ends Mbappé's dream of a third straight World Cup final. He reached the final in 2018, when France won the trophy, and again in 2022, when France lost to Argentina on penalties. No player in the modern era has reached three straight finals.
Golden Boot Race Still Tied Heading Into Argentina vs. England
Mbappé and Messi are locked together at the top of the Golden Boot standings. The award is given to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament. Neither has pulled ahead of the other yet, according to News4Jax.
Messi gets one more chance to add to his tally when Argentina face England in the second semifinal. If Messi scores, he could take the lead. If he does not, Mbappé's total may hold up — or the two could finish the tournament tied.
France Drops to Third-Place Game While Spain Eyes the Title
France will now play in the third-place match against the loser of Argentina vs. England, Click2Houston reported. It is a consolation prize for a team that came in hoping to win it all. The winner of that match finishes the tournament in third place.
Spain, meanwhile, advances to the final to face either Argentina or England. Spain won the semifinal without much trouble. They will enter the final as a confident side after shutting out one of the tournament's most dangerous attackers.
What Comes Next for Mbappé and France
Mbappé is still one of the youngest players ever to appear in multiple World Cup finals. At his age, future tournaments remain well within reach. But this one ends early for France, Bozeman Daily Chronicle noted.
France's focus now shifts to the third-place game. It is a match many top players prefer to skip mentally, but it offers one last stage. For Mbappé, it is also one more shot to add to his Golden Boot total — and possibly reclaim the lead over Messi.
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