“Kylian Mbappé faces the World Cup with a clear objective: to return France to the top and win the second world title of his career. The Real Madrid forward, who arrives at the tournament after a season marked by criticism following a season without titles, has acknowledged that he must improve one of the most frequently pointed-out aspects of his game.’In an extensive interview given to Le Parisien, the captain of the French national team admitted that he needs to step up when his team does not have the ball. “I have to take another step in defense. I have always been demanding of myself and I think I need to improve in that aspect. It is important for the team and I am going to do it”, the forward said.’The reflection arose from a question from his brother Ethan, with whom he often debates the importance of defensive effort. Mbappé even acknowledged that the younger of the brothers stands out more than he does in that area, something he considers constructive criticism that should help him evolve.His statements come after two seasons in which, despite his impressive goalscoring numbers with Real Madrid (86 goals and 12 assists in 103 matches), part of the debate surrounding him has revolved around his limited involvement in pressing and defensive duties. The Frenchman understands those questions and says he is willing to change habits to help the team.”It has to start at this World Cup because we want to win it. I’m determined to do things right because I want it at all costs”, Mbappé said, having already recently made it clear that he prioritizes France’s success above any individual achievement. “I would sign up to score no goals in exchange for winning the World Cup. I would do it immediately”, he declared a few days ago.The forward also recalled France’s bitter defeat in the Qatar 2022 final against Argentina, a memory that remains very vivid in his mind. “It is very difficult to lose a World Cup final. We did all that only to end up losing on penalties. I do not believe in luck; penalties are a technical skill, but they are still the cruelest way to lose a final,” he confessed.
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2026-06-15 15:43:08
