Kylian Mbappé looks miserable as France’s heartbroken stars return home at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport after coming agonizingly close to becoming the first country in 60 years to retain the World Cup trophy
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Didier Deschamps and his side have returned to a hero’s welcome in Paris after painfully missing out on the World Cup.
Trailing twice – initially by two goals to nil and then with just minutes left in extra time – France took the game to penalties before finally being undone by a brilliance from Emiliano Martinez and poor execution.
Despite the loss, thousands gathered in the capital’s Place de la Concorde to give the players a welcome worthy of winning the award, as countless well-wishes were offered to the side.
Deschamps and his players were pictured getting off the plane and hitting the tarmac before heading to the event on Monday night.
The French head coach, who made a bid to become the first ever manager in World Cup history to win back-to-back trophies, was photographed grinning as he returned home.
However, some of his players, including Kylian Mbappé, seemed less than impressed when they returned to a significantly colder than Qatar France.
Mbappé, who became the first player since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final, had an expression of fear etched on his face as he looked deep into his own thoughts. His efforts, wonderful as they had been, were not enough to win over his party.
Olivier Giroud, who was unceremoniously taken off the field along with Ousmane Dembélé before halftime after Deschamps seemingly admitted losing on his initial team selection, donned a Hawaiian-esque neck decoration as he made his way to the waiting team coach.
The AC Milan striker grinned as he shook hands with one of the airport’s employees on the tarmac.
Hugo Lloris, who failed to save an Argentina penalty in the shootout, led the team to their waiting transport to face Deschamps alongside.
Airport personnel lined the runway as the players came down the plane steps. Despite much of the squad being involved in their triumph in Russia four years ago, a considerable number of gloomy faces appeared as the reality of their defeat seemed to become apparent.
Their homecoming coincides with criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron for his rather persistent way of comforting the players after Sunday night’s final.
The French press was particularly critical of the centrist politician for the way he tried to comfort Mbappé as he lay sprawled on the turf of Lusail Stadium.
More to come.