Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp shared a light-hearted moment with France captain Kylian Mbappe after France's impressive 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final, discussing Mbappe's record-breaking performance and revealing past transfer talks with Liverpool.
Key Points
- Juergen Klopp congratulated Kylian Mbappe after France's 2-0 World Cup quarter-final win against Morocco, engaging in a humorous conversation about Mbappe's scoring prowess.
- Mbappe made World Cup history by becoming the first player since 1966 to achieve 10 or more goal involvements in two different editions of the tournament.
- Klopp praised Mbappe's overall performance, highlighting his movement, teamwork, and assist, in addition to his goal-scoring ability.
- Klopp also revealed that Liverpool had held talks with Mbappe and his family aboard a private jet in 2017 when he was considering leaving Monaco.
- Mbappe's career includes a prolific spell at Monaco before moving to Paris Saint-Germain, where he has won 15 trophies.
Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was in the house as France put on an inspired 2nd half display to beat Morocco 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final at the Boston Stadium in Massachusetts on Thursday. Klopp was seen grinning away as hugged and congratulated France skipper Kylian Mbappe on the win. Mbappe's influential display against Morocco saw him make more World Cup history. The France captain became the first player since records began in 1966 to register 10 or more goal involvements in two different editions of the tournament, having produced eight goals and two assists in 2022 and eight goals with three assists in 2026.
Klopp's Humorous Exchange
'I walked over to him and the first thing I asked was, 'Kylian… when are you going to stop scoring?' He just looked at me, smiled and started laughing,' he said on Magenta TV. Then I told him, ‘The more you score, the more they call you a detector because you always seem to find the goal no matter where you are.’ We both couldn’t stop laughing after that. He has a great sense of humour and he understood I was joking with him,' Klopp said. Mbappe also joined an exclusive club by scoring, providing an assist and having a penalty saved in the same World Cup match. Only Argentina great Lionel Messi had achieved the feat earlier in the tournament against Egypt. Across the last six decades, it has happened only four times in World Cup history.
Appreciating a Special Performance
'After that, I congratulated him on another wonderful performance. Goals are one thing, but I also loved his movement, his work for the team and the assist he produced. He looked dangerous every time he had the ball, and that’s what the very best players do -- they make every touch feel important.' Klopp revealed he also asked for Mbappe's jersey. 'Before we walked away, I asked him if I could have his shirt. It’s always nice to keep the shirt of a player who’s performing at such an incredible level, especially in a World Cup. He smiled again, handed it over and thanked me. Moments like that remind you that football is still about respect. We compete, we analyse and sometimes we criticise, but when you witness a special performance, you should appreciate it. Kylian deserved every bit of the applause he received tonight.”
Mbappe's Past Link with Liverpool
Before the match, speaking on Magenta TV, where is a pundit, Klopp revealed that Mbappe held talks with Liverpool aboard a private jet as he considered joining the Reds from Monaco in 2017. Mbappe burst onto the scene with Monaco between 2015 and 2017, scoring 27 goals in 60 appearances – only 35 of which were starts – before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, where he pumped in 256 goals in 308 outings for the club, winning 15 trophies including six Ligue 1 titles. 'We flew from Blackpool to Nice. In Nice, the entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms... we really went all out,' he told MagentaTV. 'Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food. We couldn't be seen. We flew in a circle. It was fantastic... and then he went to Paris!'
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Source: Rediff.com
