After finishing the last World Cup with an ultimately futile hat trick, Kylian Mbappe started this one with a stunning brace in New York New Jersey. After a faltering first half in France’s match with Senegal on Tuesday, Mbappe found his spark, . His first came from a delightful Michael Olise pass while his second, a stunning stoppage time strike into the top corner from long range, blew the roof off the stadium.
Match after match, World Cup after World Cup, the French forward continues to add to his legend. He now has , leaving him just two shy of the record jointly held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose and Argentina’s (16).
“I’m delighted to be a part of my country’s history, ” said the French captain afterwards. “That’s what I’ve always wanted, and it’s what’s been most important to me.
In his first outing at the World Cup in 2018, Mbappe recorded a total of four goals, including one in his country’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final. Four years later, in Qatar, he netted a further eight times, taking home the adidas Golden Boot, although it would have been scant consolation as France fell to a 4-2 defeat on penalties to Argentina following a 3-3 draw in a thrilling final.
The French star has now made a flying start to his third World Cup, much to the delight of coach Didier Deschamps.
“He maybe could have scored in the first half, but he’s been integral to the group since day one,” explained the coach of Les Bleus. “You can tell he’s a player who makes a difference – he’s exactly the same when he plays for Real Madrid. He’s loved by people all around the world, and so he should be.”
Four years ago Desire Doue was one of the many France fans glued to their television watching Mbappe enrapture the football world in Qatar. He now finds himself on the pitch alongside the French phenomenon in his first World Cup, allowing him to enjoy a front row seat for his team-mate’s brace.
“Seeing him score twice was wonderful, and I hope that there are plenty more to come,” the delighted 21-year-old told FIFA. The Paris Saint-Germain winger is clearly enjoying being part of this French side and its vast array of attacking talent at the World Cup.
“These are the best players on the planet,” he said. “We have the best attackers, so of course it’s a pleasure and a privilege to be there with them every day and to play alongside them. I hope we can continue to build up our interplay and our understanding with each other so that we can play even better and score even more.”
Doue was alluding to a first half in which France were sluggish, with even Mbappe struggling to find his rhythm.
Didier Deschamps, however, kept his faith in Mbappe as the central striker, not even giving a thought to shifting his positioning around. It was a decision that paid dividends.
“He’s a centre forward,” the French coach said. “We give him the freedom to roam out to the left or the right, and he knows his starting position, but it’s usually in the middle where he scores goals.”
Mbappe remains a truly extraordinary player with plenty of highs and occasional lows. However, the World Cup is a stage where he shines like no other and never disappoints. Although the record for most goals in the tournament is now within reach, the France captain is clear that individual accolades take a backseat.
“Personal achievements are things that I can think about later, after I retire,” he said. “Right now, the reason I’m here is to help the team. All of us are going to give everything to write a big chapter in the history of French football. It’s going to be a long road to get there, but we’re ready for it”
Four years and over 10,000 kilometres separate Doha and New York New Jersey, but one thing remains the same – once the World Cup kicks off, Kylian Mbappe is always at the heart of the story.
Sources: FIFA Official
