December 18, 2022, went down in soccer history after France and Argentina played one of the most intense World Cup finals ever remembered.
While this event was already special, ending in a 3-3 draw and deciding the tournament on penalties was an added bonus. Finally, Lionel Messi and his teammates were crowned champions at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, ending France’s dream of becoming two-time champions. Years later, Kylian Mbappé spoke about it.
Mbappé recalled the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Despite not becoming champion, ‘Kiki’ became the top scorer of that edition, with eight goals. In addition, his three goals in the agonizing final made him the second player to score a hat trick in this instance, behind England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966. This is how Kylian remembered that historic day in soccer:
“It was a crazy game that Argentina deserved to win because they were better throughout the match. We had a moment when we were better, but if you look at it as a whole, it’s deserved,” the young Frenchman began. “It makes you sad, but you mustn’t forget it because 2026 is coming, and we don’t want to end up sad again.”
In 2023, Messi also won the Ballon d’Or, which sparked debate among fans who believed that other players, such as Mbappe, also deserved it. However, Kylian said he had no doubt about who would win this prestigious award: “As soon as the 2022 World Cup final was over, I knew Messi had won the Ballon d’Or. I had a great season, as did [Erling] Haaland, but winning the World Cup makes all the difference.”
In addition, the young star, who now shines at Real Madrid, played with Leo at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021-2023, something he did not think possible given his desire to play for Leo’s rival club. “My dream was always to play for Real Madrid, I never thought about going to Barcelona, and since I thought he would be there forever, I knew I would have the chance to play against him, not with him, but I did and it was very special”, ‘Kiki’ said. “I learned a lot from him and I want to thank him. It was a very rewarding two years. It’s a golden opportunity to have such a special player close to you,” he concluded.
At 26, Kylian knows what it’s like to lift a World Cup (Russia 2018), but he also knows what it’s like to lose it. Having gone through both experiences, Mbappé has his sights set on 2026, which will take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada:
“I hope to win the 2026 World Cup. It’s a dream to lift the World Cup again. I’ve been lucky enough to do it once and reach the final another time. Losing hurts a lot, especially in a final… I want to reach a third final and this time, win.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19.
Read the full article here
