KEY POINTS

  • Kylian Mbappe has netted 5 goals in World Cup 2022
  • He is the leading scorer in the competition this time
  • With this year, France have reached the quarters in three consecutive World Cup editions

France forward Kylian Mbappe called the FIFA World Cup "an obsession" and said he has built his 2022-23 season keeping the competition in mind.

FIFA World Cup is currently underway in Qatar and Mbappe has been a vital cog for title holders France as they have reached the quarter-final. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star netted a brace in France's 3-1 win over Poland in their Round of 16 clash Saturday.

Mbappe, who came into the World Cup 2022 on the back of a fine run with PSG, has netted five goals already in the ongoing competition in Qatar, one more than his goals tally in the previous World Cup in 2018. By scoring a double on Saturday, Mbappe equaled Lionel Messi's World Cup goals tally – nine. While Messi has scored nine goals in 23 games, the young French forward has taken just 11 matches. The two are now teammates at PSG.

Speaking ahead of France's quarter-final meeting with England, Mbappe said the World Cup is the "competition of my dream."

"Of course, this World Cup is an obsession, it's the competition of my dream; lucky to play it, I built my season on this competition physically and mentally. I wanted to arrive ready and for 'the right now.' It's going well, but we're still far from the goal we've set for ourselves and which I've set for myself, which is to win," Mbappe told reporters.

Mbappe, who is the leading scorer in the World Cup 2022, refused to speak to the media early in the competition. Referring to the same, the PSG striker said that he was ready to pay the fine that the French Football Federation will receive for his absence.

Kylian Mbappe stunning second sealed France's passage to the World Cup quarter-finals
AFP

"I know that there were a lot of questions about why I did not speak. Already, for all the journalists who are there, it was nothing personal against the journalists, nothing against people," the 23-year-old forward said.

"It was just that I always have this need to focus on my competition and when I want to focus on something I need to do it 100% and not waste energy on anything else. I learned recently that the Federation was going to be fined. I will undertake the fine. The Federation should not pay for a decision that is personal," Mbappe added.

This is the first time in France's history that they have reached the World Cup quarters in three consecutive editions: 2014, 2018, and 2022.

Soccer