“I was tired” – Kylian Mbappé asked to be substituted against Portugal | OneFootball

George Boxall, reporting from Hamburg

Kylian Mbappé cut a frustrated figure against Portugal. France’s star man was visibly struggling with fatigue in the latter stages of Les Bleus’ quarter final clash, which was finally won on penalties without the former Paris Saint-German forward’s on-pitch presence.

In his post-match press conference attended by Get French Football News, France manager Didier Deschamps pointed out it would have been ‘pointless’ to leave Mbappé on the pitch. “He was struggling during the first period of extra time, it was pointless.”

“Kylian has always been honest with me and the group, so it was only natural to bring some new blood,” said Deschamps, adding “He’s tired, obviously. Muscularly, it’s not easy with everything he’s been through and all the efforts that he has put in. He know’s that he’s not at the top of his form.”

‘I told him I wasn’t feeling it any more’

“At the end of normal time, we’d already spoken to the coach,” said Mbappé himself in the mixed zone after the game. “We decided to give it a go, but at half-time [of extra time], I told him I wasn’t feeling it any more, that I was too tired.”

“I think you have to get over that. When you’re captain, you have to above all always stay involved and be there for your team-mates. I’ve always said before competitions that whatever happens, the important thing is that we win. People thought it was a joke, but here we are. I only scored one goal, but we’re in the semi-finals and I’m still very happy.”

GFFN | George Boxall