Mbappé Sets His Own Limit: «The Day We Lose Our Hunger, We Must Stop»

Kylian Mbappé has drawn his own line marking the end of his adventure with the France national team. On Monday, ahead of the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan, the captain of the French team answered frankly about the length of his international career: he will stop the day he loses his hunger for victory.

«The day we lose our hunger, we must stop», said the 27-year-old striker, who already has 106 caps since his debut with the French team on 25 March 2017. A message that seems in the current context closer to a profession of faith than to an imminent announcement.

When asked about the 0-2 loss to Spain in the semi-final of the last World Cup, Mbappé added details: «Not winning the World Cup was difficult, that’s for sure.» He also spoke about the Champions League final he lost with Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 against Bayern Munich, refusing to rank these two disappointments. «It was a very positive tournament for us, to create a bond with the country, for the image of the team. We wanted to win, but it wasn’t possible. We are still hungry.»

These statements come at a critical time for the French national team. Didier Deschamps has left his position, and Zinedine Zidane is preparing to take over. The new coach will reveal his first squad list on 17 September, on the occasion of the Nations League, and Mbappé should naturally be part of it.

At 27 years old, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the captain of the tricolours shows no signs of fatigue. His formula sums up in itself the mentality of a player who, despite the accumulated titles at club level, is chasing the trophy that he lacks more than any other.