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FIFA president Gianni Infantino has spoken out to celebrate Kylian Mbappe's landmark achievements after the end of the World Cup in North America. The head of world football's governing body also used his platform to strongly denounce the racist abuse aimed at the France captain.

World Cup records fall for Mbappe

Mbappe has once again reinforced his standing as one of the greatest players in the history of football after a record-setting display on the global stage. The FIFA president was quick to underline the French star's influence, pointing out that the France captain broke a number of records during the tournament as well.

Infantino was full of praise for the Real Madrid forward, using Instagram to express his admiration for the attacker's quality and consistency. The FIFA chief pointed out that the 25-year-old has now become the all-time leading scorer in the history of the competition, while also becoming the top scorer for France.

"The incredible Mbappé achieved the double at the World Cup, winning the Golden Boot for the second consecutive time thanks to his ten goals scored during the tournament in North America!," Infantino noted. "The captain of the Blues also set several records, notably becoming the all-time top scorer in the history of the competition and of the French team".

Infantino backs France captain

Although much of the attention was on his performances on the pitch, the aftermath of the tournament was overshadowed by unacceptable off-field incidents involving political figures. In a separate statement, Infantino addressed the abuse directed at the striker and said he unequivocally condemned the racist remarks made against Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla.

The comments, which were widely shared online, prompted a strong reaction from the football community as well as senior government officials around the world.

The FIFA president stressed that the entire football world and society stand with the France captain at this time. He repeated that football must remain an inclusive and safe space for everyone, and vowed that the governing body would continue its efforts to remove the scourge of racism from both the sport and society at large.

Breaking World Cup scoring records

Mbappe's individual brilliance was the bright spot for France in a tournament that ended in disappointment. The 27-year-old was ruthless throughout the knockout rounds, eventually taking his overall tally in the competition to a new level. By the end of the bronze medal match, Mbappe had scored his 22nd goal, officially moving beyond Lionel Messi to become the highest-scoring player in World Cup history.

Speaking about the milestone during the tournament, Mbappe stayed typically modest despite the scale of his statistical achievement. He said: "Messi is going to score, that's for sure. I'm just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category.

Connecting with the French public

Beyond the numbers and the praise from football's governing body, Mbappe has tried to keep a strong bond with supporters back home. After the tournament, he shared an emotional message to thank fans for the backing he received during the demanding campaign across the Atlantic. In an open letter to the French public, he highlighted the collective nature of their journey despite the individual honours he collected along the way.

Mbappe's letter carried plenty of emotion as he wrote: "You never let us down, even in the toughest moments, even when we deserved it less. We wrote this story with millions of hands, not just 11 on the pitch, all carried by the same passion."