During his first World Cup at Qatar 2022, Adrien Rabiot experienced what could be described as an emotional rollercoaster.
He first felt the immense joy of scoring France’s opening goal against Australia in their opening match in Al Wakrah. His unstoppable header in the 27th minute helped Les Bleus level the score before they ran out 4-1 victors thanks to two-goal Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe.
The 31-year-old midfielder went on to start against Denmark in a 2-1 win, then a 3-1 victory against Poland in the Round of 16 and a 2-1 result over England in the quarter-finals. A true mainstay of Didier Deschamps’ side, the Saint-Maurice native then fell ill in the final stages, and was forced to withdraw from the semi-final, which France won against Morocco 2-0.
He made a swift recovery and was able to return to experience the highlight of any footballer’s career: a World Cup final. The match against Argentina was one of the most epic title deciders in the history of the tournament, ending 3-3 after extra time, before Lionel Messi’s side triumphed 4-2 on penalties, leaving Les Bleus despondent.
Three-and-a-half years after that crushing defeat, FIFA met with AC Milan’s Rabiot to look back on that final and discuss his ambitions for the upcoming 48-team World Cup, where France have been placed in Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq and Norway.
Adrien Rabiot: It was a mixed bag of emotions. It’s a significant memory to me, even though it ended in a loss. It was a historic moment, considering everything I had experienced before, from the young Adrien who started playing football at the age of six all the way to that final. That’s what I used to dream about the most as a young football player. It was a very emotional moment. Even though we lost, it was a pleasant moment because getting to play a World Cup final remains a nice memory. It doesn’t happen every day, and not everyone gets to do it.
Yes, I used it for the immediate next few games, as the domestic league resumed. I used it for the next few games, be it with my club or the national team. It obviously made me want to win even more and secure victories. Right after the final, I told myself, “Okay, see you in four years, and we’ll get the win this time.”
It doesn’t drive pressure, because in the end, we had a similar statute four years ago as defending champions. Going into the 2022 edition, people obviously saw us as one of the favourites. We’re a strong squad, and we need to be aware of our strengths without being arrogant or presumptuous. We need to have a clear idea of where we want to go. Whenever we put in a performance like our first half against Brazil [in a friendly match in March that France won 2-1], with that mindset and determination, we can be a handful for any team that comes up against us. But we also know that we’ll come up against sides that nearly play at the same level, and that small details will make a difference.
Winning it would be the ideal scenario, especially considering the outcome in 2022. More seriously, it would be to put in a nice run, enjoy ourselves, always bear in mind the magnitude of the event, understand the present moment and enjoy, while trying to give our best for this jersey and the French national team.
Obviously, the objective of the French national team, especially considering our last results in major competitions, and at the World Cup in particular, is to reach the semi-finals, as everyone expects us to. That’s our objective. We won’t hide it because if we underperform, it will be obviously seen as a failure.
We have players with eagerness and determination, desire to win. We truly have a very good mindset within the squad. If everyone remains firmly focused on the objective, with this mindset to give everything, I think we can put in a really nice run. At the 2026 World Cup, our legacy will be a third star.
He’s a key player. I first met Kylian when he joined PSG. It was in 2017, if I’m not mistaken. I met him when he was still very young, and over the long run, he’s a player who’s always been key for all the teams he’s played for. He’s also grown more mature. Beyond what he can show off the pitch or his leadership within the squad, it’s mainly what he can do on the pitch, and execute for the French national team in particular, but also for his club, and the performances he’s able to put in.
