France captain Kylian Mbappe has shared an emotional message with supporters following his team’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, admitting the pain of missing out on the trophy will remain for some time.

France’s journey ended with a 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain before a 6-4 loss against England in the third-place playoff. Despite falling short of another World Cup final, Mbappe enjoyed a remarkable individual tournament.

The Real Madrid forward finished as the competition’s top scorer with 10 goals and became the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, moving past Lionel Messi’s tally. His latest World Cup campaign added to an impressive record that includes lifting the trophy in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2022.

Mbappe admits missing the trophy still hurts

In a letter published in regional French media, accompanied by personal photographs including one from his childhood in front of Thierry Henry, Mbappe opened up about the disappointment of not delivering another World Cup title.

“We did not bring home a team trophy. It hurts, and it will continue to hurt for a while, I am not going to lie to you about that,” Mbappe wrote.

The striker acknowledged the emotional impact of France’s exit while expressing gratitude to everyone who stood behind the team throughout the tournament.

Special message for France supporters

Mbappe devoted a large part of his letter to the fans, recognising the sacrifices they made to follow France throughout the competition despite challenging time differences.

“You stayed up late, sometimes until the dead of night depending on the time zone, to watch us play on the other side of the world. You gathered at home, in bars, with family or friends, all over France and beyond,” Mbappe said.

He also praised supporters who travelled to stadiums to cheer for the team. “Others were right there with us, in the stadiums, flags draped over their shoulders. Children with shining eyes, men and women of all backgrounds and generations, united by the same joy: the joy of sharing. That’s the power of this sport. And you never gave up on us, even in the toughest moments, even when we least deserved it. This story was written by millions of hands, not just eleven on the field, all driven by the same passion.”

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Reflecting on the connection between the squad and its supporters, Mbappe added, “Above all, it is passion, the same passion that drives us on the pitch and drives you, in front of the screen and in the stands. That’s what we experienced together, an incredible story.”

Top scorer but World Cup glory remained out of reach

Although Mbappe ended the tournament with the Golden Boot, he admitted the individual honour could not replace winning the World Cup.

“I take the title of top scorer with pride, but it would have been so much better with the cup as well. Perhaps we owed you a better ending. But we do not always choose the ending of the story, we choose what we put into it, and we put everything into it. We are proud of that,” Mbappe focused.

Tribute to teammates and coach Didier Deschamps

Mbappe also thanked his teammates, insisting his scoring achievements were only possible because of their contribution throughout the tournament.

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“Thank you to my teammates. Without their work, their runs, their passes, without this team spirit that carried us from the first to the last match, I could never have scored so many goals. This title belongs as much to the team as it does to me. As a child, I dreamed of playing in a World Cup, at least one. I played in three, I won one, and this year, I had the honour of playing in it as captain. I will never forget it,” Mbappe mentioned.

The France captain also acknowledged the work of outgoing head coach Didier Deschamps and the staff who supported the squad during the tournament.

“I have already said what I had to say to Didier, he knows it. Thank you to him, and to all his staff too: physiotherapists, cooks, trainers, drivers, all those people no one ever sees and without whom none of this would be possible. And to those who welcomed us to the United States throughout this tournament,” Kylian Mbappe acknowledged.

Mbappe ends with football’s simple message

Mbappe concluded his letter by reflecting on why football continues to unite millions of people around the world.

“Football, at its core, remains a game. A game that we take very seriously, that we work on our whole lives to try to master, but a game nonetheless, with its simple rules that have not changed since we started playing it: ball, goal, desire to score. That is why it brings us all together with the same passion,” Mbappe concluded.

Despite France falling short of another World Cup title, Mbappe’s message focused on gratitude, togetherness and the bond between the team and its supporters after another memorable tournament.

FAQs

What did Kylian Mbappe say after France’s World Cup exit?

Mbappe said missing out on the World Cup trophy “will continue to hurt for a while” and thanked fans for their unwavering support.

How many goals did Kylian Mbappe score at the 2026 World Cup?

Mbappe scored 10 goals to finish as the tournament’s top scorer and became the all-time leading FIFA World Cup scorer with 22 goals.