Coach Didier Deschamps said Kylian Mbappe will back down from missing a decisive penalty in France's shootout defeat to Switzerland on Monday that saw the world champions pull out of Euro 2020.
The French threw a two-goal lead to a 3–3 draw in normal time, & after a goalless extra time, they crashed when Swiss keeper Yan Sommer saved Mbappe's penalty.
Deschamps said the striker & the rest of the team would learn from their tournament disappointment.
"It seems to me that will help everyone," he said at a news conference. "Kilian, even though he did not score a single goal [at Euros], he was decisive in many of our actions, & he took responsibility for taking this penalty.
"No one is really angry with him. I talked to my players, we know the strength of this team, we have had great moments together - today it really hurts, it hurts so much."
The 52-year-old coach dismissed suggestions that none of Mbappe's teammates went to console him after his spot kick was saved.
"The whole group is united in the dressing room," Deschamps said. "Nobody talked about 'you made that mistake' and'you made that mistake.' Kian knows his responsibility."
Mbappe took to Twitter late Monday night to express his disappointment at not getting the crucial penalty.
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 28, 2021
"[It's] very difficult to turn the page," he wrote. “After this elimination the suffering is so great, we have not reached our objective.
"I am sorry for the penalty. I wanted to help the team but I missed. It will be hard to rest but unfortunately it's a loss in the game I love so much.
"I know all the fans will be disappointed, but still I would like to thank you for your support or for always believing in us.
"The most important [thing] is to always be strong for the next challenges to come.
"Congratulations & best wishes to Switzerland."
France were trying to win back-to-back major titles for the second time. The French won the World Cup in 1998 and then the title at Euro 2000.
Five years ago, France lost in the final of Euro 2016, but then won the 2018 World Cup.
Mbappe was only 19 when France won the title in Moscow, & he became the youngest player since Pele to score in a World Cup final in 1958.
The Brazilian great was quick to extend his support after a heartbreaking miss in Bucharest.
"Keep your head up, Kian! Tomorrow is the first day of a new journey," Pele wrote on Twitter.
France were ahead 3-1 & cruising with 15 minutes to spare thanks to a brilliant goal by Paul Pogba, but the Swiss scored twice before facing Spain in the quarter-finals in St Petersburg on Friday. .
"Today we were up against a strong Swiss team, they gave us some problems in the first half, & of course France is used to compact opponents," Deschamps explained.
"We scored our second goal in the second half that changed everything &, if you want, 10 minutes before the end we could have managed our two-goal advantage better."
Kingsley Coman hit the bar in the final seconds of normal time as fate would spare the world champions when they needed it most, but Deschamps wasn't complaining.
"Extra time was some of the last chances we had, & the penalty is always like that," he said. "It hurts, but you have to admit it - that's football."
"Mostly we are on the good end, but today we are not & everyone is really sad. Everyone is really disappointed."