FIFA President sends a message to Mbappe amid criticism storm

Amid a wave of criticism aimed at FIFA, President Gianni Infantino unexpectedly sent congratulations to Kylian Mbappe after the 2026 World Cup, praising the French striker's historic records.

In the context of facing a fierce wave of criticism related to FIFA's plan to sell commercial stakes, the President Gianni Infantino unexpectedly offered a special tribute to Kylian Mbappe, the star who just had an explosive 2026 World Cup with the French team.

Although the French team finished in fourth place at the 2026 World Cup, Mbappe still left a strong impression with his outstanding performance. The Real Madrid forward scored up to 10 goals, thereby winning the World Cup Golden Bootfor the second consecutive time.

Not only that, the 27-year-old striker also set a historic milestone by raising his total World Cup goals to 22, becoming the player with the most goals in the tournament's history. Mbappe also continued to solidify his position as the greatest scorer in the history of the French national team.

Notably, it was more than two weeks after the World Cup concluded with Spain's championship that Mr. Gianni Infantino officially sent congratulations to the French team captain via social media.

On his personal Instagram page, the FIFA President wrote: "The bright star of French football, Kylian Mbappe, created a memorable World Cup by winning the Golden Boot for the second consecutive time with 10 goals in the tournament held in North America."

He continued to praise: "The French team captain also set a series of records, most notably becoming the player with the most goals in World Cup history as well as in the history of the French national team."

Infantino's message appeared at a time when he was under great pressure from UEFA and many national football associations. The idea of selling a portion of the World Cup's commercial value to private investors faced strong opposition, making the FIFA head the center of controversy.

Nevertheless, publicly honoring Mbappe shows that FIFA still wants to redirect attention back to professional values and the outstanding performances at the 2026 World Cup, where the French striker continued to affirm his status as one of the world's top football stars.