Mbappé 2026 World Cup Preview: France’s Talisman and Golden Boot Favourite, Group I Journey

Mbappé is France’s talisman and captain. He won the 2018 World Cup and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final (despite defeat to Argentina). In his prime in 2026, he is a recognised Golden Boot favourite.

Group I

France are with Senegal, Iraq and Norway in Group I. Senegal’s physicality and Norway’s counters warrant caution, but France are widely fancied to qualify on overall quality.

Watch points

• Golden Boot race: Mbappé’s pace and finishing make him a natural contender for the scoring chart.
• Leadership: as captain, his dressing-room and on-pitch role is more crucial than ever.
• Question: opponents will man-mark him — whether France can create space for him is key.

Editors’ prediction (opinion, not certainty)

We expect Mbappé can challenge for the Golden Boot, with France among the top title favourites. But the Golden Boot often depends on how far the team goes and penalty duties — uncertainty remains; the above is editorial judgement, for reference only.

Player honours are public facts; group data is from our on-site database; predictions are editorial opinion.