Mbappé scores a brace and then declares his ambition to win, hitting back at critics: "To shut everyone up, I’d have to play until I’m 80."

In the opening Group I clash of the World Cup, which ended on June 17 Beijing time, France beat 3-1 to get off to a flying start. The 27-year-old French star Mbappé scored a double in the second half, again serving as the key figure for France.

Following the game, Mbappé confidently said in an interview that he does not play motivated by revenge, and that silencing critics would require him to play until the age of 80.

Mbappé first acknowledged that France had not yet hit top form in their opening match: "I don’t think we are fully up to speed yet. But it’s always good to get a win in the first game of a major tournament—it brings some calm. Even though in a World Cup, there is never real calm."

"I’ve watched other teams in their first games, and they haven’t achieved the results they hoped for. Winning the opening match is very difficult because everyone knows the World Cup is a one-of-a-kind event where every team wants to win."

When asked whether scoring twice was a form of revenge against recent criticism, Mbappé responded powerfully: "Criticism from the outside? There’s no revenge in that. If I started playing for all those who criticize me, just to make them shut up, I would have to keep playing until I’m 80."

"I only focus on giving my all for my country. That’s it. Full concentration on that!I play to leave my mark in the history of our nation, to help my team win the World Cup.This is just a group stage match. Naturally, people get excited or critical from the outside. But when it comes to what we need to do, we must always stay calm."

After netting a brace in this match, Mbappé has scored 14 goals in 15 World Cup appearances, just two behind Klose. Becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history might really only be a matter of time.