Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has scored five goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and appeared in critical moments when the France national team needed him the most.
Les Bleus defeated the Poland national team 3-1 on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Still, it was Mbappe who provided the team security to secure their ticket to the next round.
However, for the 23-year-old, his performance at the World Cup isn’t a surprise considering he has put in the work to ensure that he’s in good form for the tournament.
“I built my season on this competition, physically and mentally,” Mbappe told reporters postgame (h/t Hadrien Grenier). “I wanted to arrive ready. It’s going well so far.
“But we are still far from the objective that we have set and that I have set myself, which is to win!”
Before the tournament began, the French squad lost key players to the team that would play prominent roles, such as Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. Nevertheless, Mbappe has stepped up in the absence of the Ballon d’Or winner.
France and Mbappe will face off against either England or Senegal, as they’re now two wins away from reaching the World Cup final and winning back-to-back tournaments.
