Kylian Mbappe sent a defiant message after France's 2022 FIFA World Cup final loss against Argentina on Sunday, December 18.
Despite the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker's best efforts, Les Bleus could not get the better of La Albiceleste on the night. Goals from Lionel Messi and Angel di Maria gave the South American nation a comfortable lead going into the tunnel at half-time.
Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in as many minutes to draw his team level deep into the second half. Argentina scored again in extra time, but Mbappe scored his second penalty of the game to send the game into penalty shootouts.
He held his end of the table by scoring his kick, but Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni's miss meant heartbreak for France. Kylian Mbappe ended the tournament with eight goals and two assists, winning the tournament's Golden Boot in the process.
After the game, the 23-year-old tweeted:
"We will return. [France flag]🙏🏽"
Mbappe's achievements should not be overlooked just because his team faltered on penalties. Scoring 12 World Cup goals and playing in two finals of the competition at his age is incredible.
He is destined to break virtually every FIFA World Cup record under the sun if he keeps up these standards. The former AS Monaco forward lifted the trophy four years ago as a teenager in Russia, where he scored four times in the tournament.
There was a time when France were in a rut on the international stage. They exited the 2008 UEFA Euros and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the group stages. Les Bleus were dumped out of the 2012 UEFA Euros and the 2014 World Cup in the quarter-finals. Now, they are easily one of the best international teams around, and Kylian Mbappe is a big reason behind that.
Kylian Mbappe scored just the second-ever FIFA World Cup final hat-trick
Only two footballers have scored three goals in the final of the FIFA World Cup - Sir Geoffrey Hurst and Kylian Mbappe.
Hurst scored thrice in England's historic 1966 World Cup win against West Germany with a 4-2 scoreline and Mbappe repeated that feat 56 years later against Argentina.
With Karim Benzema and Christopher Nkunku's absence due to injuries, the PSG forward held the goal-scoring baton for France in Qatar to perfection. There is nothing stopping him from winning every accolade in sight if he looks after himself and continues to hone his skills even further.
Mbappe will surely want to win the World Cup for the second time when the competition is held in North America a little under four years from now.