The final we lost in 2022 is the one I remember the most, says Kylian Mbappe. He adds that there's no point in dwelling on the final they won, as the history of that victory doesn't need to be rewritten.
As France gets ready for their first FIFA World Cup match today, their captain, Kylian Mbappe, has made a startling admission. He says the loss to Argentina in the Qatar World Cup final four years ago still gives him sleepless nights and remains the biggest wound of his career.
France is all set to take on African powerhouse Senegal in their opening game, hoping to win back the trophy they lost to Argentina in 2022. The Blues won their second World Cup title in 2018, but failed to defend in the following edition of the prestigious tournament, leaving the squad determined to reclaim their status as world champions and exorcise the ghosts of that heartbreaking final in Qatar.
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'No Need to Rewrite History': Mbappe Opens Up on 2018 vs 2022
In an interview with the French newspaper 'Le Parisien', Mbappe's teammate Ibrahima Konate asked him about his memories of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.
"I remember the final we lost (2022) the most. There's no need to rewrite the history of the one we won. We won, we got the trophy, and it was incredible," Mbappé said.
"But four years is a long time. Many players will leave the team in between, and that's the cruel part of the World Cup. To work so hard and then lose on a penalty shootout is just heartbreaking. I don't believe in luck, and penalties aren't a lottery. It's a technical skill, but still, there's no tougher way to lose a World Cup final," he added.
Why the 2022 Final Remains an Open Scar for Mbappe
Mbappé added that the loss was so painful that he has never watched the full 2022 final again. He said it would just bring back all the old emotional wounds. France, who won the title in Russia in 2018, were just one win away from a historic achievement in Qatar 2022. They were on the verge of becoming only the third country, after Italy and Brazil, to win two World Cups in a row.
The match ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw after extra time, with Mbappé practically carrying the French team on his own. He scored a fantastic hat-trick in the final and even converted his penalty in the shootout, but France still ended up losing the title. Despite being the tournament's top scorer, he had to go home without the trophy. Now, Mbappé will be looking for redemption on American soil.
This time, France is in Group 'I'. Their first match is against a strong Senegal side at the New York-New Jersey Stadium. They will then face Iraq on the 22nd and Norway on the 26th.
