France captain Kylian Mbappé has insisted that his side still has plenty to prove despite reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying the team cannot yet be regarded as the strongest in the tournament because it has not won the title.
Speaking after France’s 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco, Mbappé acknowledged the enormous talent within Didier Deschamps’ squad but stressed that potential alone is not enough to earn the label of the world’s best team.
“I’ve been a world champion and a runner-up. But this team is neither world champion nor runner-up, so at the moment it isn’t the strongest,” Mbappé said.
“The strongest teams are the ones that win. I don’t see a World Cup trophy next to me, so until proven otherwise, it isn’t the strongest team.”
The French captain, who lifted the World Cup in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2022, said the current squad is full of quality and has every reason to dream of another title.
However, he believes success must first be achieved on the pitch before comparisons with past championship-winning teams can be made.
France booked their place in the last four after defeating Morocco 2-0, with Mbappé opening the scoring in the second half before helping create the move that led to Ousmane Dembélé’s goal.
The victory keeps Les Bleus on course for a third consecutive World Cup final, a feat that would underline their consistency on football’s biggest stage.
Mbappé has once again been at the heart of France’s impressive campaign.
The 27-year-old has scored eight goals in the tournament, drawing level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
He also reached another milestone by equalling Hugo Lloris’ record for the most World Cup appearances for France while becoming the youngest player to reach 20 World Cup matches.
Despite those individual achievements, Mbappé continues to emphasise that collective success remains his priority.
Earlier in the tournament, he said personal records could wait until after retirement, insisting that his main objective is to help France create another memorable chapter in its football history.
With a place in the final now within touching distance, France head into the semi-finals as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
However, Mbappé’s show a squad determined not to be carried away by expectations, choosing instead to let results define their status.
