The removal of France of the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Spain was a hard blow, since “Les Bleus” They were one of the strongest candidates for win the tournament.
Kylian Mbappé, captain and scorer of the team, did not hide his anger not only at the elimination of his team, but also by Spain’s goals: one from a penalty, converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, and the second, the work of Pedro Porro.
But the Frenchman’s gestures were not only limited to the rival’s goals, but also to other moments that were recorded in several images, which show the desperation, anger and resignation of the French captain.
From the beginning, the cameras focused on Mbappé while he sang “The Marseillaise” with the rest of his team. At that moment, the striker’s expression reflected solemnity and excitement at the possibility of advancing to the grand final.
However, in the 21st minute, Mbappé’s enthusiasm faded little by little, after Oyarzabal’s penalty, which opened the scoring. From a distance, the French striker signaled to his goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, to warn him where the Spanish player was going to take the maximum penalty.
And, although Maignan guessed which way Oyarzabal would send the ball, it was not enough to prevent Spain from scoring. The cameras focused again on Mbappé, who assimilated the situation in complete silence, with a leisurely walk towards the center of the field.
Another of Mbappé’s most memorable moments during the match were the constant occasions in which he was pressured by Pau Cubarsí, whose expressions reflected desperation and an enormous effort to get rid of the mark.
But the moment that caught the most attention was when Spain scored their second goal, since at that precise moment Mbappé was seen raising one of his arms in complaint.
Finally, at the end of the match and with Spain’s victory already accomplished, Mbappé, with nothing else to do, walked away from the field of play with his head down and without making any gestures.
Also read: Pedro Porro: Spain’s best player against France and the story behind his goal