The French forward had featured in every World Cup final before France’s defeat to Spain.
Dubai: Kylian Mbappé will miss a FIFA World Cup final for the first time in his international career after France suffered a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain in the 2026 tournament.
The loss ended a remarkable run for the French forward, who had reached the final in each of his first three World Cup appearances and further strengthened his status as one of the tournament’s standout players.
Mbappé announced himself on the global stage during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, playing a key role as France secured their second World Cup title.
At just 19 years old, he scored in France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final, becoming the youngest player to score in a World Cup final since Brazil legend Pelé achieved the milestone in 1958.
Four years later, Mbappé delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in World Cup history. With France trailing Argentina 2-0, the forward sparked a stunning comeback by scoring twice within two minutes to send the final into extra time.
After Lionel Messi put Argentina back in front, Mbappé completed a sensational hat-trick by converting a penalty to level the score at 3-3, becoming only the second player in men’s World Cup history to score three goals in a final.
Although France eventually fell short in the penalty shootout, the match has since been hailed by fans and analysts as one of the greatest — and by many, the greatest — World Cup finals ever played.
While Mbappé missed the chance to compete for another World Cup title this year, his remarkable record and performances on football’s biggest stage continue to enhance his legacy.
At only 27, Mbappé is already second on the all-time FIFA World Cup goalscoring chart, an extraordinary milestone considering the legendary players who feature among the tournament’s top scorers. With potentially two more World Cups ahead of him, the French forward still has the opportunity to chase Messi’s record and further strengthen his claim as one of the greatest World Cup players ever.
That pursuit, however, will have to wait until the next tournament. Spain’s victory means Mbappé will watch a World Cup final from the sidelines for the first time since his debut on football’s biggest stage in 2018.
After being a central figure in the tournament’s biggest match for the past eight years, the 2026 final will be the first in 12 years to take place without the French superstar, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable World Cup runs in recent history.
