Kylian Mbappe was spotted grabbing referee Michael Oliver's watch following his side's Nations League exit last night. France were beaten 5-4 by world champions Spain in a stunning semi-final in Stuttgart, though they had trailed 5-1 before mounting a late fightback in the final half-hour.
A Lamine Yamal double – along with goals from Nico Williams, Mikel Merino, and Pedri – had put Spain in control, but Mbappe's penalty was then followed by goals from Rayan Cherki, a Dani Vivian own goal, and Randal Kolo Muani’s late header to ensure Les Bleus didn't go down without a fight.
Having failed to find another goal to take the tie to extra-time, France will now have to settle for a third-place playoff against Germany on Sunday afternoon. But despite conceding five goals for the first time since a 5-0 loss to England in 1969, Mbappe believes the referee can be blamed for narrowly missing out on a spot in the final, with his frustrations stemming from a lack of added time at the end.
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Why Kylian Mbappe Grabbed Referee's Watch At Full-Time
The Frenchman was convinced more time should have been added on
Michael Oliver and Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe, who missed out on yet another piece of silverware after ending his debut season with Real Madrid trophyless following France’s Nations League semi-final loss on Thursday night, was among several French players seen speaking with the referee after the final whistle.
Judging by his post-match interview, and the fact he appeared to take a look at Michael Oliver's watch (watch the incident below), the 26-year-old was unhappy with how much added-time was played. As per beIN Sports, he said:
"I didn't agree with the referee about the actual playing time, but if I talk about it, people will think I'm angry. When there are five minutes [stoppage time], you have to play for five minutes."
According to Tyrone Marshall, a senior football writer at the Manchester Evening News, the Real Madrid talisman had every right to question Oliver's judgement. He wrote on X:
"Spain sub right at the start of five minutes, which should be another 30 seconds. Then Ruiz down for a minute? Only played 45 seconds extra. So odd a sport obsessed with technology doesn’t time a game properly."
France won the Nations League in 2022, but their focus will now quickly shift to next year's World Cup. While Didier Deschamps' side haven’t always delivered on the biggest stage - and there’s a lingering sense that winning just a World Cup and a Nations League over the past 13 years feels a little underwhelming - they have every reason to believe they can go all the way next year.
With Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe, and Ballon d'Or frontrunner Ousmane Dembele leading the line, France boast devastating squad depth that runs throughout the entire team, and they'll be hoping to win the showpiece tournament just as they did in 2018.