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

Kylian Mbappé, the captain of the French national team, addressed fans through an open letter published in several leading French newspapers on Monday, exactly one week after the 2026 World Cup wrapped up. The 27-year-old, who led the tournament's scoring chart, took a moment to thank his teammates, coach Didier Deschamps’ outgoing staff, and supporters whether they traveled to America or followed from afar.

Reflecting on the Tournament’s End

Mbappé admitted the pain of missing out on the trophy. He wrote, "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," referencing France’s 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain, who went on to claim the title.

The final moments didn’t meet expectations either. Les Bleus fell to England 6-4 in the third-place match, a bitter finish for the team and their fans. Mbappé acknowledged this, saying, "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."

A New Chapter Begins

With Didier Deschamps stepping down as head coach, Zinédine Zidane is poised to take over, with an official announcement expected Tuesday. Mbappé expressed optimism looking ahead: "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."