Kylian Mbappe’s Disastrous Stats vs Croatia, Lost the Ball 21 Times!
- Kylian Mbappé lost the ball 21 times in the match, highlighting difficulties in maintaining control under pressure
- France suffered an embarrassing defeat to Croatia as their star studded side failed to glitter in a massive game
- The Real Madrid icon is expected to deliver the goods for Les Bleus in the second leg match next week
In the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League match between France and Croatia on Thursday night in Split, France faced a disappointing 2-0 defeat, with goals coming from Ante Budimir and Ivan Perisic.
Following France's loss, Kylian Mbappé's performance was a point of interest, as the star forward endured a challenging match.
Source: Getty Images
Tough night in Split for Mbappé
Mbappé, widely regarded as one of the world’s top footballers, had an underwhelming night against Croatia. With the French squad struggling to break down Croatia’s defense, Mbappé was left to battle against a well-organized Croatian backline led by Caleta-Car and Sutalo.
The match saw the 2018 World Cup winner touch the ball 70 times, a decent number for any player. However, his influence on the game seemed limited, particularly in a high-stakes encounter where France needed their key players to step up.
Ball possession and distribution
Throughout the game, the Real Madrid superstar displayed his usual speed and flair, but it wasn’t enough to make a significant impact on the scoreline. The 70 touches he registered were spread across the game, but many of them failed to result in meaningful attacking opportunities for France.
One of the most worrying statistics from the match was that he lost the ball 21 times. This high number of turnovers indicates that Mbappé struggled to maintain possession under pressure and often couldn't link up effectively with his teammates, such as Randal Kolo Muani, in the final third.
The duel struggles
Mbappé’s performance in duels was another area where the French star found himself outmatched. He won just 3 of the 12 duels he contested, a win rate of 25%. This reflects a challenging night for Mbappé as Croatia's defenders, were successful in dealing with his speed and strength. The lack of success in duels was a key factor in the limited opportunities for France to mount serious attacks, and he will be expected to come good in the second leg on Monday.
Brief moment of skill
Although Mbappé’s overall influence on the game was muted, there was a brief flash of brilliance. He managed to complete 1 successful dribble during the match. However, given the nature of the game, that one dribble was insufficient, for a player of his caliber, to turn the tide in France’s favor.
Source: Getty Images
The bigger picture
While Mbappé’s performance may have been below expectations, it is important to note that France, as a team, was collectively underwhelming against Croatia. The defeat highlighted several weaknesses, including a lack of cohesion in attack and difficulty in breaking down well-organized defenses. Croatia, on the other hand, executed their game plan effectively, with Budimir and Perisic taking their chances when it mattered most.
Kylian Mbappé’s performance in France’s 2-0 loss to Croatia showed that even the brightest stars can struggle when faced with adversity. With his technical skill and speed, Mbappé, who recently hit a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City, will continue to be a key player for France, but this match serves as a reminder that football is a team sport, and every player’s contribution is essential to success.
Kylian Mbappe's 5 outstanding UEFA CL moments
YEN.com.gh earlier reported five most astonishing UEFA Champions League individual displays to come from Kylian Mbappe from his days at AS Monaco to PSG and Real Madrid.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
