Kylian Mbappé Pens Open Letter to France Fans After 2026 World Cup

One week after the final whistle of the 2026 World Cup, Kylian Mbappé, captain of France, published an open letter in several leading French newspapers. The 27-year-old striker, who finished as the tournament's top scorer, took the opportunity to thank his teammates, coach Didier Deschamps and his staff, as well as fans who supported the team either in America or from home.

Mbappé addressed the disappointment felt by the nation after France’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals. “We didn’t bring home the trophy. It hurts and it will continue to hurt for a while, I’m not going to lie to you about that,” he admitted candidly.

He also acknowledged that the fans had hoped for a better conclusion. France’s campaign ended with a loss to England in the third-place match, which finished 6-4. “We don’t always choose the end of the story, we choose what we put into it, and we put everything in it. This is something we are proud of,” Mbappé reflected.

With the departure of Didier Deschamps, the French national team is about to enter a fresh chapter. Zinédine Zidane is expected to be officially named the new head coach on Tuesday. Looking forward, Mbappé wrote, “This World Cup is over, but the story goes on. There will be other games, other summer or winter evenings where we’ll all come together again in front of this same game, with the same desire intact. We’re not done playing together. Thank you for everything.”