Kylian Mbappé expressed his disappointment following France's third-place playoff defeat, attributing the team's poor first-half performance to being "human" rather than disrespectful. He acknowledged the stark contrast with their strong second-half display, where they "became top-level players again." Mbappé lamented not securing a win for coach Didier Deschamps, emphasizing that the match would not tarnish Deschamps' legacy despite the initial impression of letting him down. He also made a notable prediction about Lionel Messi, stating Messi would "score in the final," a comment likely to displease Spanish fans. Despite his personal goal-scoring record, Mbappé prioritized team victory, expressing a preference for winning the match over individual accolades.