Kylian Mbappé is eagerly anticipating a Golden Boot contest with Lionel Messi, whom he regards as the “It is always a pleasure to be able to play in national team and there is nothing bigger than that for me,” Despite his personal goals, he emphasizes that team success takes precedence as France aims for a crucial win over Iraq to secure qualification from Group C on Monday.
This World Cup marked Mbappé’s first significant media engagement, and he managed the attention with poise. He discussed various topics, from defending teammate Ousmane Dembélé to the contentious hydration breaks, while his coach, Didier Deschamps, took a more combative stance.
“To reach 100 caps, that’s historic, to do it at a World Cup all the more so. So it’s a special match for me, but the thing that is clear in my mind is that we need to win in order to qualify.” Mbappé stated ahead of his landmark 100th cap for Les Bleus at just 27 years old. “I knew Messi would go and score goals, he always does,”
Following his impressive brace against Senegal, Mbappé now boasts 14 World Cup goals, just two shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record, which Messi matched with a hat-trick against Algeria. “He is ahead of me but I will keep scoring to help our squad go as far as possible. When you score goals it helps towards breaking records, but I want to win the World Cup.” Mbappé remarked. “Lionel is the best of the four players it’s clear,”
Both Messi and Mbappé showcased their talents during an extraordinary 48 hours of goal-scoring, alongside Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. When asked who among them was the best, Mbappé answered decisively. “He is the best of the best with Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He’s shown over 15 years he has an amazing quality. For the rest, it’s a debate for journalists and fans. It’s good to debate but it’s not an issue in my head. I just try to show what I can do and show my ability on the biggest stage.”
Mbappé has already reviewed the Senegal match twice, once alone and once with the coaching staff. He praised Dembélé’s performance, despite the scrutiny he faces from the media, which prompted Deschamps to defend him, stating the press is “In the first half he was the best attacker, he made the play fluid,”
“In the second half Michael Olise and I were decisive [in the opening goal] but Ousmane also contributed. If you see Michael’s pass, Ousmane creates the space. It doesn’t count in the stats, but it matters. He is the Ballon d’Or and everyone is on board.” Mbappé noted. “Don’t ask the players about it, we’ll change our mind all the time,”
Addressing the necessity of hydration breaks, Mbappé was succinct. “If we’re up and it disrupts our play I won’t like it. If it’s hot, I’ll think it’s good.” he explained. “If we are leading and it disrupts our rhythm, I won’t like it. Conversely, if it’s hot, I’ll find it beneficial.”
