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 provide any key passes, and touched the ball only 32 times throughout the game. This ball touch count is among his lowest in World Cup matches where he started, second only to a 2018 match against Denmark where he played just 12 minutes and touched the ball 15 times. These figures highlight a significant dip in form for the French captain during a crucial stage of the tournament.