Kylian Mbappe has spoken publicly for the first time since France’s defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal, thanking supporters for standing by the team and admitting the disappointment of missing out on the trophy will linger.
The France captain, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer, shared an emotional message on Monday reflecting on a campaign that ended in heartbreak despite another deep run on football’s biggest stage.
🚨 ????????????: Kylian Mbappé’s open letter to French fans after the World Cup:
“Thank you. One month of emotion. Of going beyond limits. Of pride in wearing the colors of France. Of passion, above all, the same one that drives us on the field and that drives you, in front of the… pic.twitter.com/9j430z1AoK
— The
Touchline | ???? (@TouchlineX) July 27, 2026
‘The Pain Will Remain’
Mbappe made no attempt to hide his emotions after France fell short in the final.
“Thank you. A month full of emotions, in which we pushed the limits of our abilities,” he wrote. “A month of pride in wearing the colours of France, filled with the passion that drives us on the pitch and drives you too in front of the screen and in the stands.”
The 27-year-old admitted losing the title was difficult to accept.
“We did not win a collective title, and that is painful and will remain so for some time. I will not lie to you about that,” he said.
“Perhaps we owed you a better ending, but we do not always choose how the story ends; rather we choose what we put into it, and we gave everything we could.”
Golden Boot, But Team Comes First
Although Mbappe ended the tournament as its leading scorer, he insisted the individual honour belonged to the entire squad.
“Without their hard work, their movement, their passes, and without the team spirit that carried us from the first match to the last, I would not have been able to score all these goals.”
The Real Madrid forward also reflected on captaining France at his third World Cup, calling it a lifelong dream fulfilled.
“Since I was young, I dreamed of playing in the World Cup even just once. I have played in three editions, won one, and this year I had the honour of playing as captain. I will never forget that.”
Gratitude Beyond The Pitch
Mbappe reserved special praise for head coach Didier Deschamps and the support staff behind the scenes.
“Thank you to him and to all his staff: the physiotherapists, the chefs, the coaches, the drivers, all these people whom no one sees, and without whom none of this would have been possible.”
Now on holiday, Mbappe is expected to return to Real Madrid in the coming weeks as he begins preparations for the new season under head coach José Mourinho.
