Mbappé laughs off the critics: I can't silence them all

France star Kylian Mbappé brushed off questions about criticism and comparisons with a humorous tone at the press conference ahead of France's 2026 World Cup match with Iraq. The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward stood out with a relaxed manner showing he is unfazed by the pressure on him.

Mbappé, who scored twice to pass Olivier Giroud in their 3-1 win over Senegal in the opener and became France's all-time top scorer with 58 goals, kept his distance from the "who is the best player" debate. Speaking in English, the star said the debate is "for the people, journalists and fans," and that there is no such question in his own head. He stressed his only thought is how to help his team and bring the trophy home in July. Asked about the current best player, he tipped his cap without hesitation to Lionel Messi.

The forward's humour also showed in his response on criticism. After the Senegal game, Mbappé said that if he wanted to silence all his critics he would have to play until he was 80; ahead of the Iraq match, he joked that he won't play for the national team until he's 40. This self-deprecating tone showed how lightly he takes the constant questioning of him.

This match is also a special milestone for Mbappé. The young star will make his 100th international appearance for France against Iraq. At the well-attended press conference held inside the locker room of NFL side the Philadelphia Eagles, Mbappé said there is nothing bigger than the national team and that reaching 100 caps, especially at a World Cup, is historic. If France go deep in the tournament, he could overtake coach Didier Deschamps' record of 103 caps, then Hugo Lloris' peak of 145.

With his goals in the opener, Mbappé took his World Cup tally to 14, also passing Just Fontaine and moving within two of Miroslav Klose's record of 16. The star also did not completely rule out a future move to MLS; reminded of the pitch from Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, he replied "we'll see" and said American culture is different and that he likes how it places no limits on ambition.

Image: Football365