Kylian Mbappe slams team, Didier Deschamps slams table - Inside the France dressing room during World Cup final
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Updated 21/12/2022 at 17:20 GMT
Kylian Mbappe told his France team they "can't do any worse" at half-time of the World Cup final against Argentina, as his stirring dressing room speech was captured on film. Didier Deschamps was also seen in the clip, slamming a table as he castigated his men for "not playing a final". France recovered from 2-0 down to 3-3 and forced a penalty shoot-out, but lost out to a clinical Albiceleste.
Argentina return home after winning the World Cup
Kylian Mbappe told his France team they "can't do any worse" at half-time of the World Cup final against Argentina, as the forward's stirring dressing-room speech was captured on film.
The scenes were laid bare as part of TF1's 'Merci Les Bleus' documentary that had been tracking the team during Qatar 2022, and they offered an insight into the fraught atmosphere as France found themselves 2-0 down after 45 minutes, and completely out of the contest.
Reserve goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and Didier Deschamps were among others to speak, with the latter slamming his hand against a table to castigate his side for "not playing a World Cup final".
Ultimately - although they left it until the dying embers of the 90 minutes - France did get back into it, forcing extra-time and penalties, and played their part in the game becoming - in many people's eyes - the best World Cup final ever.
“It’s the World Cup, guys. it’s the match of a lifetime,” Mbappe shouted in the bowels of the Lusail Stadium.
“Whatever happens, we can’t do any worse than what we did [in the first-half].
“We’re going back out there on to the pitch: either we let them play us like idiots, or we put a bit of intensity into the game, get into the one-on-ones and change things, guys.
“It’s a World Cup final. We are two goals down. We can come back! Guys, something like this only comes round once every four years.”
Deschamps was visibly angry, exclaiming: "Do you know the difference between them and us? They're playing a f***ing final and we're not!
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Kylian Mbappé
Image credit: Getty Images
"We need more pressure in passes, more precision when making decisions, we aren't compact. You have to be closer to each other. You aren't there. There's no second ball to win.
"It looks like you aren't playing in a World Cup final!"
Mbappe - goalless at the time of his speech - went on to score a remarkable hat-trick in the final, with two in normal time and then an equaliser to make it 3-3 with just moments left of extra-time.
But by virtue of some Emi Martinez heroics, Argentina won the shoot-out, and with it their third World Cup crown.
Despite his disappointment and intense run of matches, Mbappe is already back in training with Paris Saint-Germain, as is Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, with PSG's return to Ligue 1 action just a week away.
Of Mbappe's return, PSG boss Christoph Galtier told the club's TV channel: "I'm very happy to see Kylian, he had a fantastic World Cup.
"It’s also a strong signal for everyone that a player who was disappointed not to win the biggest trophy even though he was top scorer in the competition, came back quickly with the squad and ready for competition.
"Of course, we're very happy he's back.”
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