In the quarterfinals of the European Cup that ended on July 6, Beijing time, the French team successfully advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Portugal through a penalty shootout. After the match, France's star player Mbappe accepted an interview with the media, sharing his excitement and outlook for the future.
Mbappe began by expressing his joy at the victory: "It's exciting and we are very happy! It's a result of our whole team's efforts to reach the last four. We know it's very difficult to repeat this performance, but we will continue to work hard and keep the momentum going."
Speaking about the course of the match, Mbappe was honest about his fatigue in extra time: "At the end of regular time, I had a conversation with the coach. I said I would try to stick with the game, but in extra time I didn't feel too good and was too tired. Coach also understood my situation and he told me I needed to come off the court and rest. While I hope to continue to help the team in the semifinals, the most important thing is for the team to win. I am very proud to be part of this team."
On the team's failure to score in the game, Mbappe said that he didn't dwell on it too much in the locker room: "I'm not going to lie, we didn't think too much about the fact that the team didn't score in the locker room. We know that's the way the game is, sometimes chances come and you don't capitalize on them, but the important thing is that we won the game in the end. Now all we have to do is get our strength back as soon as possible and get ready for the next games."
Looking ahead to the semi-final match against Spain, Mbappe is full of expectations: "We are now in a state of ecstasy, but we will analyze our performance a little bit, find out the shortcomings and improve. Spain is a very strong team, they have a lot of good players. But we also have the confidence and ability to challenge them. We will continue to work hard and be well prepared for the game against Spain."
Finally, Mbappe re-emphasized the importance of the team: "Football is a team sport, no one can win the game alone. We were able to advance to the quarterfinals without the efforts and dedication of every teammate. The next game, we will continue to unite as one, for the French team to fight for more honor."
