Jean-François Pérès (special envoy to Qatar)
modified to
12:18 p.m., December 19, 2022
At only 23 years old, Kylian Mbappé scored the three goals of the Blues against Argentina this Sunday, as well as another in the penalty shootout, without allowing his team to win the trophy. Voted top scorer in the World Cup, the French striker appeared completely dejected at the end of the match.
After leading last night, Kylian Mbappé’s Blues let slip a trophy that they nevertheless touched. Led 2-0 then 3-2 in extra time, they came back to the score again, 3 everywhere against the Argentines, each time thanks to the same man: Kylian Mbappé, a hat-trick in the final and the title of top scorer in the World Cup. Exceptional and sad at the same time.
World Cup top scorer
The image has already gone around the world. President Macron on the lawn of the Lusail stadium, in shirt sleeves, consoling with voice and gesture a dejected Kylian Mbappé, staring into space. “He’s a great player, but he’s young. I told him he was only 23. What do you want me to tell you? He was top scorer in this Cup. He is an extraordinary player. He has already won a World Cup, he made a final. He is only 24 years old [ndlr, Mbappé a 23 ans] and frankly, I’m not in the best position to try to reason with people tonight, because I was at least as sad as he was.”
Like his teammates, the French striker first missed his match before suddenly waking up with the grace of a penalty that brought a moribund team back to life. A minute later, the masterpiece: a sublime volley to equalize. During extra time, he scores a new penalty, that of three everywhere. First hat-trick by a player in the World Cup final for 56 years, then a sadly useless shot on goal. Mbappé, top scorer of this World Cup with eight goals. Congratulated by the Emir of Qatar, also owner of PSG. A trophy with a bitter taste for an exceptional player, a bulimic of victories who will certainly not remain on this cruel failure. A failure that he will have tried to push back until the end.