Mbappé: "I Must Set an Example" as France Reach World Cup Semi-Finals

After France defeated Morocco 2-0 to reach the World Cup semi-finals, Kylian Mbappé, who contributed a goal and an assist in the match, spoke to reporters in the mixed zone.

Reporter: Do you feel that you are now at the most influential and leadership-driven stage of your career with the French national team? Also, I’m from Spain, and I’d like to ask: would you rather face the best goalkeeper in the world — your club teammate — or a team you know very well, such as Spain?

Mbappé: I certainly feel very good. This is a team, a group that means a lot to me. There are many players in this squad who are my friends, and I have known them for many years. Of course, there are also the younger players, and they kind of see me as one of the older players now. So I have to set an example for the team, as I always do, especially when it comes to managing emotions.
Because on the pitch, they are all very talented footballers. But emotionally, that is where I can help more. I am the player in this team who has played in the most World Cup matches, so I know what playing at a World Cup means. I have to show that to my teammates.

Regarding the second question, I already said this in French: honestly, I don’t really care. A semi-final is always a difficult match. If it is Spain, then it is Spain. If it is Belgium, then it is Belgium. We will see what happens tomorrow.

Reporter: Hello, Kylian. About the penalty you took and the goal you scored — what did you feel in that moment?

Mbappé: I took the shot, and he saved it. I didn’t take it well. After that, things became complicated because the situation became quite chaotic. The referee told me there was a penalty, so I asked him whether the check had been completed, and he said yes.

So from that moment, Ousmane (Dembélé) and I made the handover. He gave me the ball. Then, just as I was preparing myself and trying to focus, he came over and told me there was no penalty.

So I didn’t really know what was happening. I had the ball in my hands, then I put it back, because I thought there was a penalty. But he told me, “No, wait, two minutes ago there was an incident that needed to be checked.”

Anyway, that’s what happened. I allowed myself to get distracted. Of course, I had imagined many situations about how to stay focused when taking a penalty, but I had never experienced something like this before.

It is a situation that we will have to consider in the future, because a referee can tell you there is a penalty and then, two minutes later, tell you there isn’t one. I don’t know how long it lasted… three minutes?

Reporter: Hello, Kylian. You seem to be becoming more and more unbeatable. As the tournament progresses, you look stronger and more frightening for your opponents. Do you feel that way?

Mbappé: Yes, of course. I think we have become aware of this team’s potential. But I believe that with the way we are playing right now, it is not just potential — it is something we have already shown in major tournaments.

Now, as I said before, fear and worries do not score goals, and they do not win matches. They are just feelings. Of course, they can give you confidence when you step onto the pitch, but once you are on the field, you have to prove it.

If we want to be recognised as an unbeatable team, or whatever words you want to use, we still have a lot to prove.

Reaching the semi-finals is always a great achievement. I think this is an important stage for our group. We are very happy to be among the final four again. For some of the older players, this is their third time.

But no, I don’t have a specific opponent I prefer. I am not focused on the opponent. I am focused on how we recover and how we prepare for our own game.

Of course, we will pay attention because we will watch all the matches, but I have no preference. Because whatever happens, the next match will be a revenge battle.

If it is Belgium, they will want revenge. If it is Spain, we will want revenge. So that is not the thing I care about most.