Deschamps: Mbappe "not at his top form," substituted due to fatigue in France's EURO 2024 quarter-final win.
New Delhi: After his side’s victory against Portugal in the quarter-final match of the EURO 2024, France head coach Didier Deschamps said that Kylian Mbappe is still not at his top form.
French skipper Mbappe failed to play till the 120 minutes of the match as the striker asked the head coach to get substituted. He kept a total of five shots and had a 67% per cent shot accuracy.
Speaking after the match, Deschamps said that Mbappe is always honest with the head coach and the team. The head coach revealed that the 25-year-old was unable to accelerate in the game for which he was substituted.
“Yes, he’s always very honest with me and the team, when he feels he doesn’t have the capacity to accelerate … He’s not at his top form … he felt very tired indeed,” Deschamps was quoted by ESPN as saying.
Deschamps added that he noticed Mbappe struggling in the first period of extra time for which he decided to subed him off the field. He further added that it was ‘pointless’ to keep Mbappe on the field since he was tired.
“I saw him struggling during the first period of extra time. It was pointless [to leave him on]. Kylian has always been honest with me and the group, so it was only natural to bring in some new blood,” he added.
In the 106th minute of the match, Bradley Barcola replaced Mbappe on the field.
In EURO 2024, Mbappe scored just one goal after playing four matches in the tournament.
Portugal dominated the quarter-final match against France in Hamburg. Ronaldo’s side kept a total of 60 per cent ball possession, on the other hand, France kept 40 per cent ball possession.
After both teams failed to score in the 120 minutes of the match, the game moved to penalties. Portugal’s Joao Felix was the only player to miss the penalty and pushed Roberto Martinez’s side to the back foot. Later in the match, the French side won the game 5-3 on penalties.
