
Arguably, French footballer and Hublot ambassador Kylian Mbappé truly showed his greatness during his most disappointing defeat.
It was a cool December evening in the shining city of Lusail in Qatar, which was playing host to the biggest game of the world’s most popular sport — the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. At half-time, Argentina was leading 2-0, thanks to goals by Messi and fellow veteran Ángel Di María.
Just over 6,000km away, an anxious silence has fallen over Paris — a similar silence pervaded France’s dressing room in the Lusail Stadium.
Then, 23-year-old Kylian Mbappé stepped up. “It’s the World Cup, guys. it’s the match of a lifetime,” he says passionately to his teammates. “Whatever happens, we can’t do any worse than what we did (in the first half). We’re going back out there on to the pitch: either we let them play us like idiots, or we put a bit of intensity into the game, get into the one on ones and change things, guys.”
The respect that Mbappé has garnered from his peers and colleagues in his relatively short international career was obvious — there was a palpable stirring among his teammates. He continues, shouting: “It’s a World Cup final! We are two goals down. We can come back! Something like this only comes round once every four years.”
The French side that came out for the second half was a different one. They were livelier, more spirited, and this renewed energy paid off when Nicolas Otamendi brought down Randal Kolo Muani in the penalty box 10 minutes from full time.
Mbappé took the penalty, cool and collected in the world’s biggest game, in the football match with the highest stakes, and scored. The French revival, spurred on by Kylian Mbappé, had begun.
This story is from the Issue 202 edition of August Man SG.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 202 edition of August Man SG.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In

THE PASSION OF JAZMINE NIKITTA
ART INSPIRES. THIS IS A UNIVERSAL TRUTH. IN IMMERSING HERSELF IN ITS NURTURING WATERS, DJ, VISUAL ARTIST, PRESENTER, AND MUSIC CURATOR JAZMINE NIKITTA EMERGES WITH UPLIFTING TRANSMISSIONS EVERY TIME.

REVISITING A HOROLOGICAL CLASSIC
The Tudor Black Bay Burgundy might be an oldie, but it is still a goodie, especially the updated version.

Mercury In Retrograde
While it might be an optical illusion for the planet, the retrograde complication is one of the most fun watchmaking mechanisms to see in action. Franck Muller offers two interpretations.

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
As the co-founder of EMONIGHTSG, singer-songwriter, musician, and DJ Bryan Ulric Santa Maria is an expert on why the stirrings of the heart can resound with a seismic force—and how enduringly transformational their echoes are.

The Power Of Two
As Sivilian Affairs, the husband-and-wife duo of Sivanesh Pillai Siv) and Lillian Hautemulle Lil) are making the Asian nightscape more thrillingly next level, one trailblazing party at a time.

P.S. I LOVE YOU
THERE IS A POINT in adulthood when we truly understand the great complexities of human existence, when we realise that within all of us, there is both the sacred and the profane—or consider the possibility that sacredness and profaneness are just arbitrary constructs and we are all merely exploring different facets of the same human experience.

Gorgeously Undulating Soundscapes
Are JBL’s new Tour Pro 3 True Wireless stereo earbuds a game-changer? Testing them was a must.

Luxury In A Simple Statement
The Breguet Classique Tourbillon 3358 is a no-frills exercise in artistry and elegance. Its simplicity gives it its profound, multifaceted beauty.

The Boy In Blue
The sappy month of love calls for a sappy love story. Except this isn't just my story. It could also be yours.

A Kaleidoscopic Affair
Louis Vuitton and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami join forces once again, after 20 years.