'World Cup over, but story continues': Mbappe pens emotional letter

Kylian Mbappe has vowed that France's journey is "far from over" after painful FIFA World Cup exit, issuing an emotional open letter to thank supporters, teammates and staff while promising to come back stronger.

The Real Madrid forward ended the tournament as the competition's top scorer, but the individual accolade offered little comfort after France's semifinal defeat to eventual champions Spain. The loss marked the end of Les Bleus' campaign and denied Mbappe the chance to lift a second World Cup trophy.

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In a message shared on social media, the France captain reflected on the highs and lows of the tournament, describing it as "a month of excitement, overcoming challenges and pride in wearing the colours of France."

"We didn't win a team trophy. It hurts, and it will continue to hurt for a while; I won't lie to you about that," Mbappe wrote.

Although he accepted the Golden Boot with pride, the 27-year-old admitted the award would have meant far more if it had come alongside the World Cup title.

"I accept the top scorer title with pride, but it would have been much better with the cup as well."

Mbappe insisted France had left everything on the pitch, saying the team could not always control how a story ends, only the effort they put into writing it.

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"Perhaps we owed you a more beautiful ending. But we don't always choose the ending of the story; we choose what we put inside, and we gave it our all."

The striker dedicated his scoring achievement to his teammates, saying their hard work and collective spirit made his success possible.

"This title belongs as much to the team as it does to me," he wrote.

Reflecting on his international journey, Mbappe said playing in three World Cups — including captaining France in the latest edition — was a dream fulfilled.

"As a child, I dreamed of playing in a World Cup... I'll never forget it."

The forward also paid tribute to French supporters, thanking those who stayed awake through different time zones, gathered in homes and cafés, or travelled to stadiums with the national flag draped over their shoulders.

"You have never abandoned us, not even in the toughest times," he wrote. "We have written this story with millions of hands, not just eleven on the field."

Mbappe reserved special thanks for outgoing head coach Didier Deschamps, saying the two had already spoken privately.

"I've already told Didier what I had to say, he knows," he wrote, before extending his gratitude to the coaching staff, medical team, cooks, drivers and every behind-the-scenes member of the French Football Federation who contributed throughout the tournament.

Despite the disappointment, Mbappe ended his letter on a hopeful note, insisting France's story was still being written.

"This World Cup is over, but the story continues," he wrote. "There will be other matches, other summer or winter nights when we'll all gather around the same game, with the same passion undiminished. We haven't finished playing together."

He concluded the message with a simple expression of gratitude: "Thanks for everything."