'I built my season on this' - Mbappe opens up on World Cup 'obsession' & insists he'll pay France fine for media duty absence

Posted Monday, December 05, 2022 by Goal.com

France star Kylian Mbappe says he is "obsessed" with the World Cup and is determined to lift the trophy for the second time in a row.

WHAT HAPPENED? Mbappe played a key role for France as they went through to the quarter-finals of the competition on Sunday when he scored two goals in their 3-1 win against Poland. The 23-year-old, who helped France to global success in 2018, has his heart set on going all the way again.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to the press, he said: “Of course this World Cup is an obsession, it’s the competition of my dreams," he said in a press conference. "I’m 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.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mbappe, who now has five goals to his name in this year's World Cup, refused to talk to the media early in the competition and he says he is happy to pay the fine that the French Football Federation will receive for his absence, saying: "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. 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."

DID YOU KNOW? France have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in three consecutive editions of the tournament for the first time in their history.

WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE? Mbappe and his teammates will face the winners of Sunday evening's match between England and Senegal in the next round.