Kylian Mbappe keeps 2022 World Cup final ball signed by Lionel Messi
France star Kylian Mbappe keeps the match ball from the 2022 World Cup final, signed by Lionel Messi, despite his team's defeat.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 / Author: Balkan Photos
Kylian Mbappe keeps a unique souvenir from his career: the match ball from the 2022 World Cup final. Despite France's defeat in that match, the forward decided to take the ball home as a personal memento of his hat-trick against Argentina on December 18, 2022.
According to L'Equipe, the striker, who was a teammate of Lionel Messi at PSG at the time, asked the Argentine captain to sign the ball. The trophy is now kept at Mbappe's home alongside other personal career mementos.
Both players are currently engaged in a race for the title of the World Cup's all-time top scorer. Following the first round of the 2026 World Cup, Messi leads the list with 16 goals, matching Miroslav Klose's record. Mbappe, who scored a brace against Senegal, currently sits at 14 goals in World Cup history.