Kylian Mbappe sets sights on adding Euros to legendary trophy cabinet - 'I really want to win

Kylian Mbappe has told CNN he has his sights set firmly on adding the Euros to his already illustrious trophy cabinet.

The French forward, who recently signed for Real Madrid, has a CV worthy of legendary status at just 25: he is already a World Cup and Nations League winner, who has claimed multiple domestic leagues. 

A Champions League will be expected to come his way with the now 15-time winners Madrid, and the elusive Ballon d'Or could well come in tow.

But right now, the star is focused on celebrating more glory on the international stage.

“I want to win the Euros. I have to be honest,” Mbappe said in an interview with CNN as he prepared for his fourth major tournament with France, and his first as captain.

“I won the World Cup. I won the Nations League. That’s the only one that missed me with the national team after I did everything with the national team.

“I really want to win this. My first competition as captain, so it’s really important for me and it’s always important for the country and we want them to be proud of us.

“(It’s) another opportunity to write the history of my country.”

Mbappe recently made a 15-minute cameo for Didier Deschamps’ side in a frustrating goalless draw against Canada - their final warm-up game before their group game against Austria on Monday, June 17.

Les Bleus will head to Germany as one of the favourites to win the title. To do so would mark their third Euro trophy, and first since 2000.

But their record at the Euros in the last two decades is not flattering. In Deschamps’ 12 years as head coach, their best result was a runner-up spot in 2016 on home soil, losing to Portugal.

They wielded the pain of that defeat to emerge victorious at the World Cup two years later, but fortunes were reversed at Euro 2020 as Switzerland ousted them, with Mbappe missing the decisive spot-kick in the last-16 shootout.

More World Cup success came as France reached the final in Qatar two years ago, losing to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in an immensely tense penalty shootout.

“I think we have to move forward,” Mbappe said about the 2022 final.

“Of course, we were hurt, to see that you’re close to something…Close to back-to-back. Something amazing. Something historic.

“Everybody loved the game except for us. We didn’t like that, but it’s part of the game.

“Now, when I watch the video of the game, I watch with a smile because it’s part of the history and we know what we have to do if we go again in the final. We have to play all the game and not have a reaction.”

France has a glut of world-class, familiar names such as Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and N’Golo Kanté mesh with an emerging generation of stars like Bradley Barcola, William Saliba and Eduardo Camavinga. The sky is the limit and the nation of France knows that.

Former France defender and captain Patrice Evra has identified France’s main threat, as France.

“We have three squads, three teams. We can put in any player and the team will still look strong,” Evra said.

“The biggest enemy for France is France. That’s the truth because, sometimes, we get carried away. We can be too arrogant and don’t respect the opponent.”

France’s group this year, featuring Austria, Poland, and the Netherlands, is a routine one on paper but has plenty of potential for slip-ups if Mbappe and co aren’t focused.

“Everybody knows how tough it is to win the Euros because all the teams are very strong,” the 43-year-old added.

“We can see the group that we have. It’s like something crazy. We have to go step-by-step because it’s going to be really difficult, but we are ready for that.”

In today's modern age of football, where the ilk of Mbappe and Messi are often judged on what they didn't win, rather than their actual accolades, the most evasive trophies are the ones that players desire the most. Only a handful of titles elude Mbappe now, and this summer, he could make history by crossing one more off his list.

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