Kylian Mbappe Delivers Worst Performance in 2026 World Cup Semifinal Against Spain

Kylian Mbappe, widely regarded as one of the best footballers globally, had a notably poor showing in the 2026 World Cup semifinal where France lost 2-0 to Spain. Despite his reputation for rising to big occasions, Mbappe's performance in this match was underwhelming both visually and statistically. He managed only two shots on goal, none on target, and recorded an expected goals (xG) value of just 0.07, the lowest of his World Cup career. Additionally, Mbappe was caught offside three times, did not register a single key pass, and touched the ball only 32 times throughout the game. This limited involvement marks one of his least active World Cup matches, with only a brief 12-minute appearance against Denmark in 2018 resulting in fewer touches. These figures highlight a rare failure for the French captain in a crucial tournament stage.