Kylian Mbappé thanked fans on Instagram after France's World Cup exit, admitting the failure to lift the trophy "hurts, and will hurt for a while." The captain won the Golden Boot with 10 goals in eight games, but said the individual award "would have meant far more with the World Cup beside it."

France topped Group I and beat Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco before falling 2-0 to eventual winners Spain in the Dallas semifinal. They then lost a 6-4 third-place playoff to England. Mbappé scored in six of eight appearances, including braces against Senegal, Iraq, Sweden, and England.

The Real Madrid forward reflected on his three World Cups — winning in 2018, losing the 2022 final to Argentina, and captaining this year's side. He thanked teammates, coach Didier Deschamps, and the entire support staff after Deschamps' 14-year tenure ended.

Zinedine Zidane is expected to succeed Deschamps as France prepare for autumn Nations League games. Mbappé returns to Madrid for the 2026-27 season, declaring: "Our journey together is far from over."