Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he has never watched the 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina national football team again, admitting the painful memories from the match still remain difficult to revisit.
The France national football team captain made the comments while reflecting on one of the most dramatic finals in World Cup history, which ended with France losing on penalties after fighting back during the match.
Speaking to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Real Madrid CF forward explained why he has avoided reliving the encounter since it took place nearly four years ago.
“No, I never watched the match again, because that might bring back painful memories. We have to get over it, we lost.”
France had entered the final hoping to defend the title they won in 2018, but ultimately fell short after a tense contest that was decided in a penalty shootout.
Mbappe acknowledged that the nature of the defeat made the experience even more difficult to accept.
The striker explained that losing after recovering during the game intensified the emotional impact for both players and supporters, describing penalty shootouts as among the harshest endings football can produce.
Focus Turns to 2026 World Cup
Despite the disappointment of 2022, Mbappe is now preparing to lead France once again as the team attempts to reclaim the World Cup crown in 2026.
The next edition of the tournament will be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with France expected to be among the favourites.
Mbappe remains the central figure in the French squad and is likely to carry the responsibility of leading the team’s attack during the competition.
However, preparations for the tournament have not been entirely smooth.
France recently suffered a 2-1 defeat in a friendly match against Ivory Coast national football team, a result that added Ivory Coast to the list of African nations to have recorded victories over the French side.
The loss has raised questions over France’s recent form, although friendly matches are often used to experiment tactically and assess squad depth ahead of major tournaments.
Challenging Group Awaits France
France have been drawn into Group A for the 2026 World Cup alongside Iraq national football team, Senegal national football team and Norway national football team.
The group presents a mixture of styles and challenges, with Senegal in particular expected to provide strong competition because of their physical and tactical strength.
Norway also arrive with growing confidence, while Iraq will hope to cause an upset on football’s biggest stage.
For Mbappe, the tournament offers an opportunity not only to chase another global title, but also to move beyond the disappointment that still appears to linger from the defeat to Argentina.
The 2022 final remains one of the defining moments of his career, but the French captain’s comments suggest the emotional wounds from that night have not fully healed.
As the countdown to 2026 continues, France will hope those memories can instead serve as motivation in their pursuit of another World Cup triumph.
