Kylian Mbappé misses first World Cup final after France's semifinal exit

Kylian Mbappé's streak of reaching the World Cup final in every tournament he has participated in has come to an end. France's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinals means the star forward will miss the championship match for the first time in his career.

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For the first time since his World Cup debut, the French forward will not play in the tournament's final.

Mbappé, who debuted in the World Cup at just 19 years old in Russia 2018, was instrumental in France's victory that year, scoring a goal in the final against Croatia. He followed this up in Qatar 2022, where he led the French team as their undisputed leader. Despite scoring a hat-trick in the final against Argentina, France ultimately lost the title in a penalty shootout, though Mbappé secured the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer.

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He had reached the decisive match in his two previous World Cup participations, becoming one of France's great protagonists over the last decade.

In the 2026 North American World Cup, Mbappé captained France and guided them to the semifinals. However, their journey was halted by Spain's decisive 2-0 victory, ending a remarkable run that had seen him reach the final in his first two appearances. This loss also marked the first time Mbappé lost a knockout match before the final in a World Cup.

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Spain ended the streak.

Despite the semifinal exit, Mbappé still has an opportunity to finish the tournament on the podium. France is scheduled to play for third place against the loser of the semifinal between Argentina and England. A victory in this match would secure Mbappé his third consecutive World Cup podium finish, a rare achievement in the history of the tournament.

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Although he can no longer fight for the championship, Mbappé still has the possibility to end the tournament on the podium.