Eto’o demands more respect for Mbappe

Samuel Eto’o says Kylian Mbappe is not receiving the recognition his performances warrant in France, even as the forward pushes Les Bleus toward a third straight World Cup final. 

Speaking ahead of the semi-final, the former Barcelona and Inter striker argued that the 27-year-old Real Madrid star is judged by a different standard than other French icons, despite a career already filled with records.

In an interview, Eto’o said Mbappe is repeatedly forced to prove himself despite his consistency at the highest level.

He pointed to Mbappe’s list of achievements and his role as the team’s talisman throughout the 2026 tournament as evidence that the conversation around him should shift.

Eto’o also raised a more sensitive point about how Mbappe is perceived off the pitch. With roots in Cameroon and Algeria, Mbappe has been outspoken on social and political issues, and Eto’o questioned whether that background plays a role in the criticism. 

“It’s legitimate to ask a question, even if it’s uncomfortable: Do Kylian’s mixed heritage, his origins, and what he represents in French society influence, consciously or unconsciously, how some people judge his career, his personality, and his stances?” Eto’o said. 

The numbers back up Eto’o’s defense. Mbappe has scored 20 World Cup goals since his debut in 2018, four more than any other player in that span. Only Lionel Messi, with 21, sits ahead of him on the all-time tournament list.

In this World Cup alone, Mbappe has 12 goals in the knockout rounds and remains in the middle of the Golden Boot race as the competition reaches its final days.

France now turns to a massive semi-final against Spain on July 14 at 20:00 in Dallas. Mbappe has been decisive in the earlier elimination games but is still chasing his first goal in a World Cup semi-final. 

A win would send France to a third consecutive final, and would put Mbappe one step closer to matching Messi’s tournament scoring record on the sport’s biggest stage.

With another deep World Cup run and a growing goal tally, the Real Madrid forward is forcing that conversation, even if, according to Eto’o, France has not yet fully embraced him.