MUNICH — And finally, in the 86th minute, his moment arrived. He had been waiting for it all game long. All tournament long, really.
Kylian Mbappé is running at substitute defender Dani Vivian, one on one, with acres of space in front of him. France are 2-1 down but have been the better team in a second half in which Spain will register just one touch in the opposition box. This is Mbappé’s chance to bring his team back into Tuesday’s Euro 2024 semifinal and take it to extra-time.
Of all the players on the pitch, there is no one Les Bleus would rather have on the ball than Mbappé. You would bet your house that he is going to score. You know exactly what he is going to do: run, dummy to his right and get a yard of space, and then shoot at the near post.
The Parisian has scored this exact goal countless times in his life. This is his speciality, it’s what he does best. He is like a machine in this scenario.
He isn’t wearing the mask to protect the nose he broke in France’s opening match of these Euros. He made that decision himself after discussing it with the team doctor, despite the risk of a setback.
“I had had enough. I couldn’t see properly. I don’t regret it,” Mbappé told ESPN after the match. “The doc told me to make the decision like a man.”
Without his face protection, he looks liberated.
His cross for Randal Kolo Muani’s ninth-minute goal set the tone for this match. He is sharp, but since that assist, he has been quieter. Now comes his moment, though. He does everything we expect him to do in his position but, incomprehensibly, his shot goes well over the bar.
“I think I have to score, or at least hit the target, but it goes over the bar,” Mbappé said to ESPN. “It’s the tough reality of football.”
He seems genuinely upset by the miss. It was certainly a turning point in the contest and represents one of the moments of this European Championship.
This should have been his tournament….
