ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Julio Cortez is a veteran photojournalist for The Associated Press. He is the AP regional chief photographer and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Cortez is working on his third World Cup and has been with AP for 16 years and is based in Dallas.
why this photo
France defeated Spain 2-0 in the semifinals, and time was running out with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation time. With each missed goal, France’s Kylian Mbappé was clearly frustrated. This photo was taken in the 81st minute, when Mbappé received a pass in a very open field and Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon stepped out of the penalty box to clear the way for Mbappé’s breakthrough attack. With Simon away from goal, France had a solid chance to cut the gap in half. Instead, Spain went back and avoided conceding a goal. Mbappé reacted to yet another failed goal by leaning forward with his hands on his face in disbelief.
How this photo was made
The match was being played on the Spanish side of the pitch, so I aimed my telephoto 400mm lens at the plush suite behind the team benches. That’s where David Beckham was sitting. Since the game wasn’t nearby, I had the luxury of looking for celebrities in the stands. But when the breakaway happened, I quickly turned my attention back to the pitch. It took me a second to switch from the camera with the long lens to the camera with the Sony G-Master 50-150 F2 lens to perform the action. Even after the scoring opportunity was denied and the game ended, I kept my camera on Mbappe, showing his reaction when he missed a crucial shot. He was clearly upset and irritated. He then put his hands on his face and leaned forward for a few seconds, allowing him to capture this image without any other players nearby.
Why is it effective?
France were looking to return to the championship game, but with the score at 2-0 at the end of the game, that possibility was starting to look slim. A victory over Spain would have ensured France and Mbappé would advance to the championship for the third consecutive year. But in the end, the Spanish defenders were able to negate all attempts of the French army. Mbappe was clearly frustrated throughout the game, receiving a yellow card for another play against Simon. Emotions run high during the semi-final matches. Winners feel very elated, while losers have to deal with the feelings of defeat. This image shows a good example of the latter sentiment.
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