Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe will bounce back from missing the decisive penalty in France’s shootout loss to Switzerland on Monday that saw the world champions exit Euro 2020 at the last-16 stage, coach Didier Deschamps said.
The French threw away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 in normal time, and after a goalless extra time, they crashed out when Mbappe’s penalty was saved by Swiss keeper Yann Sommer.
Deschamps said the striker and the rest of the team would learn from their tournament disappointment.
“It will help everyone I think,” he told a news conference. “Kylian, even if he didn’t score a goal [at the Euros], he was decisive in many actions that we had, and he took responsibility to take this penalty.
“No one is really angry with him. I talked to our players, we know the strength of this team, we’ve had many magnificent moments together — today it really hurts, there’s lots of sadness.”
The 52-year-old coach dismissed suggestions that none of Mbappe’s teammates went to comfort him after his spot kick was saved.
“The whole group is united in the dressing room,” added Deschamps. “No one talks about ‘you made this mistake’ or ‘you made that mistake.’ Kylian knows his responsibility.”
Mbappe took to Twitter late on Monday to express his disappointment at missing the key penalty.