Kylian Mbappe says he congratulated Messi after World Cup final
France and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe recently opened up on his interaction with his club teammate and Argentina captain Lionel Messi after the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, Sportskeeda reported.
Mbappe, 24, ended up on the losing side in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against La Albiceleste earlier this month despite bagging a sensational 38-minute hat-trick. Lionel Scaloni's side nicked a 4-2 win on penalties after the summit clash ended 3-3 at the end of extra time.
Messi, on the other hand, completed his trophy collection after guiding Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup triumph. He registered seven goals and three assists in seven appearances in Qatar, becoming the first player ever to win the Golden Ball award twice in the process.
Speaking after PSG's 2-1 Ligue 1 win over Strasbourg on Wednesday, December 28, Mbappe shed light on his post-2022 FIFA World Cup final chat with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
"I spoke with Leo after the World Cup final. I congratulated him for the win. It was the quest of a lifetime for him, for me too, but I failed, so you always have to be a good player," he said.
Mbappe, who scored eight goals in seven 2022 FIFA World Cup matches, returned to action for PSG in style. He netted a 96th-minute winner at the Parc des Princes over Strasbourg, helping his team extend their lead to eight points at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Meanwhile, Messi is set to return to first-team training with the Parisians in the first week of January next year after relishing a couple of weeks of time off, celebrating the FIFA World Cup triumph in his homeland.