“For an hour we were not in the game. We could have won as well. I am very proud of this group and of being French. We hold our heads high. We came back to the game when it was complicated.
“We pushed and we believed until the very end. We almost turned the game, which wasn’t going well… This group had mental strength, a lot of heart. It allowed us to get back in the game. We’re disappointed but also proud.
Argentina were the better team in the first half and took a 2–0 halftime lead, before Mbappe equalized with goals in the 80th and 81st minutes of a contest that French captain Lloris described as a “boxing match”. Did.
The goalkeeper said, “Argentina made a great start in attack, using all aspects of the game. We were a bit reactionary all night.”
France also reached the final last week after several players missed training sessions due to illness, but Lloris refused to use that as an excuse.