Mbappe: 'They called me a monkey after missing the penalty'

Kylian Mbappe revealed the hidden aspects of his career, including experiencing racism after a missed penalty, and discussed the pressure, criticism, and memories from World Cup tournaments.

Speaking on the podcast 'The Bridge', hosted by his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, the French star candidly expressed his weariness with interviews:“I am fed up with answering press questions. They always try to make you say things you don't want to say. It feels like a boxing match..”

Joining Real Madrid, Mbappe also faced criticism regarding his defensive support. He admitted: “I defend less than others, and sometimes that is a problem.” However, the forward emphasized that whenever he participates in defense, it still brings a clear impact for the whole team.

Mbappe stated he isn't overly concerned about the criticism: “They criticize me, but it's constructive feedback so I don't mind..”

Notably, Mbappe recalled one of the toughest moments in his career, after missing the decisive penalty in the match against Switzerland at EURO 2020. “I once wanted to leave the French national team. After that incident, many people called me a 'monkey' and uttered insults. I wondered if these were the people I was fighting for on the field.”

He continued: “During the following break, I felt like a dead man still alive. I had fallen from the peak to a very deep place. At the 2018 World Cup, I was the hero when I was very young, but just one tournament later, everything turned against me. That was difficult.”

Mbappe revealed he once approached the president of the French Football Federation and expressed his intention not to return to the national team. However, he persuaded him to stay with a decisive statement: “Do you think I would let you leave this room?”

Additionally, the Real Madrid forward also shared memorable moments from the 2022 World Cup, particularly his relationship with close friend Achraf Hakimi. They often talked and played games together before the tournament, but as they progressed deeper, they realized they might have to face each other.

Mbappe recounted: “We often joked about who would advance. Before the semifinal, we still talked but were a bit cautious.” In the semifinal, France defeated Morocco to reach the final against Argentina, before losing on penalties.