Just a month ago, Kylian Mbappé hinted at the possibility of a future in Florida, engaging in playful dialogue about a potential move to Major League Soccer, spurred on by David Beckham’s interest in reuniting him with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.
“We will see, I don’t know,” he remarked. “The American culture is different. There are no limits to ambitions, I like it.”
However, when he takes the field in Miami on Saturday, he will do so with a sense of disappointment and unfulfilled dreams. While the third-place playoff carries some significance, it cannot compare to the heartache of missing out on another final. The sting from France’s semi-final loss to Spain—marking their third defeat to the European champions in as many years—will continue to haunt him as the summer unfolds.
The recent loss accelerates the passage of time for Mbappé, who will be 31 by the time the next World Cup arrives. At his current pace, he could have around 700 appearances under his belt by then, and there are no assurances that his explosive style of play will endure into his thirties. Although he has achieved so much, this tournament seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to solidify his legacy.
There remains a chance for him to achieve that, albeit in a diminished capacity. No player has ever secured two consecutive Golden Boots, and even as he gazed skyward after the final whistle, wiping his brow with his shirt, he still topped the scoring chart thanks to having recorded more assists than Messi. Both players finished tied with eight goals.
Yet, this achievement feels insufficient to him. His dissatisfaction was evident in a critique that, depending on interpretation, could be seen as a critique of Didier Deschamps’ tactical decisions.
France struggled in midfield, with Dani Olmo providing balance that Michael Olise could not match. Mbappé was largely absent from the action until late in the game when he took several long-range attempts. The team failed to deliver the ball to him effectively, sacrificing cohesive strategy in favor of the hope that individual brilliance might prevail as it often has.
The frustration is heightened by the fact that Mbappé had started the tournament strongly, shaking off a disappointing conclusion to his season with Real Madrid and overcoming the early obstacles in France’s campaign. The feeling of unresolved aspirations was palpable.
“I would change Argentina 2022,” he stated when asked how he might alter the past if given the chance. “That final comes to mind more than the one we won.”
The memory of his hat-trick in Lusail followed by the defeat on penalties remains a painful reminder. A chance to face Messi and Argentina once more in New Jersey could have offered a chance to rewrite the narrative and crown him as the world’s best.
Instead, a new chapter must begin without that glittering conclusion. “We have to move on to the next chapter,” Mbappé expressed. “Because football waits for no one. We have to start over, put this failure behind us, and learn from it.”
He has not indicated any intention to step back from his commitments to the French national team. With Zinedine Zidane likely to take over from Deschamps, the intriguing possibility arises of whether these two legends can create a successful partnership.
Even if their dynamic proves effective, Zidane has been out of coaching for five years since departing Real. He and his captain must discover a way to blend moments of individual brilliance with a structured approach that has allowed Spain to outpace France convincingly.
What version of Mbappé will the world see in 2030? This will likely hinge on whether he has finally secured a Champions League title, alongside or without a European Championship in two years. It would have seemed unimaginable that twelve years could pass since he burst onto the scene in Russia 2018 without securing another major title.
New opportunities will continue to arise, but the prospect of near misses is becoming a recurring theme. The idea of a long-term association with unfulfilled ambitions would be deeply disappointing for Mbappé.
Perhaps one day, Beckham and Inter Miami will entice him, much like Messi was drawn to a late-career role that has not hindered his longevity with Argentina. This could mean that World Cup bids continue to come.
In theory, Mbappé could still lead France’s hopes in Saudi Arabia in 2034 and beyond. However, it was evident while watching him contort his face with anguish at Dallas Stadium that his best chance at realizing those lofty ambitions might have slipped away.
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