Mbappe misses out on World Cup final for the first time
The forward had never missed a World Cup final before France's defeat to Spain
Dubai: For the first time in his international career, Kylian Mbappe will not feature in a FIFA World Cup final after France were beaten 2-0 by Spain in the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament.
The defeat brought an end to an incredible streak that had seen the French superstar reach the final in each of his first three World Cup appearances, cementing his reputation as one of the competition's greatest performers.
Mbappe announced himself to the world at the 2018 tournament in Russia, helping France lift the trophy for the second time in their history.
Aged just 19, he scored in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final, becoming the youngest player to find the net in a World Cup final since the legendary Pele achieved the feat for Brazil in 1958.
Four years later, Mbappe produced arguably the greatest individual display ever seen in World Cup history, France trailed Argentina 2-0 before the forward inspired a dramatic comeback, scoring twice in the space of two minutes to force extra time.
After Lionel Messi restored Argentina's lead, Mbappe completed a stunning hat-trick from the penalty spot to make it 3-3, becoming only the second player in history to score three goals in a men's World Cup final.
Although France eventually lost on penalties, the match has since been widely regarded by fans and pundits as the greatest World Cup final ever played.
Despite missing out on another shot at football's biggest prize this year, Mbappe's legacy on the World Cup stage continues to grow.
At just 27 years old, he already sits second on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list, an extraordinary achievement given the company he keeps among the game's greatest names. With at least two more World Cups likely still ahead of him, he remains on course to challenge Messi’s record and strengthen his case to be remembered as the greatest World Cup player in history.
That opportunity, however, will have to wait another four years. Spain's victory means Mbappe will watch a World Cup final from afar for the first time since making his tournament debut in 2018.
After spending the last eight years at the centre of football's biggest occasion, the 2026 final will be the first in 12 years without the French talisman, ending one of the most brilliant streaks the competition has seen.
