France captain Kylian Mbappe lamented his team's tactical and technical errors after Les Bleus suffered a 0-2 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semifinals in Dallas, ending their hopes of a third consecutive final appearance.

Speaking to French broadcaster M6, Mbappe said: "I don't think we played the match we wanted to play – whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level. And when you don't do what you're supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don't win."

"Our goal was to press them high up the pitch to prevent them from settling into that slow, controlled rhythm – because when it comes to controlling the game, they are better than us. We failed to do that," the Real Madrid star added.

Mbappe, who scored eight goals in the tournament, pinpointed the midfield as the main problem, with France's duo of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni outnumbered by Spain's trio of Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabian Ruiz.

"We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield," Mbappe said. "And against Spain, that's a real problem… When you put it all together, the result is a defeat. It's a huge disappointment."

Despite the setback, Mbappe vowed to bounce back: "It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country the chance to keep dreaming and to make history. Now, it is something we have to face with our heads held high."

"Right now, there is immense disappointment. I find it hard to put into words just how disappointed the squad and I are. Yet, we have to pick ourselves up, go on vacation, and move on to the next chapter. Because football waits for no one," he concluded.

Source: www.aljazeera.com