Kylian Mbappé is excited about the prospect of competing for the Golden Boot against 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,” However, he emphasized that his individual goals will take a backseat to the team’s objective as France aims to secure qualification from Group C with a victory over Iraq on Monday.
This World Cup marked Mbappé’s first appearance in front of the international media, and he managed the attention with remarkable poise. He addressed various topics, from defending teammate Ousmane Dembélé to discussing the hydration breaks, while his manager, Didier Deschamps, took on a more combative role.
“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 milestone 100th cap for Les Bleus at just 27 years old. “I knew Messi would go and score goals, he always does,”
Mbappé’s World Cup Goals
Following his impressive brace against Senegal, Mbappé has accumulated 14 goals in World Cups, trailing Miroslav Klose’s all-time record by just two goals. Messi matched Klose’s tally with his own 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,”
Messi’s Continued Excellence
The achievements of both Messi and Mbappé took place during an extraordinary 48-hour goal-fest at the tournament, which also saw Harry Kane and Erling Haaland shine. When asked who among them is the best, Mbappé did not hesitate. “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.” he affirmed. “In the first half he was the best attacker, he made the play fluid,”
Team Dynamics and Performance Analysis
Mbappé has already reviewed the Senegal match twice, once alone and once with staff. He praised Dembélé’s performance, which has faced scrutiny from French media, leading Deschamps to remark that the press has been “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.”
“Don’t ask the players about it, we’ll change our mind all the time,” Mbappé noted. “If we’re up and it disrupts our play I won’t like it. If it’s hot, I’ll think it’s good.”
Regarding the mandatory hydration breaks, Mbappé was succinct. “Don’t ask the players about it, we’ll change our mind all the time,” he said. “If we’re up and it disrupts our play, I won’t like it. If it’s hot, I’ll think it’s good.”
