Kylian Mbappe has admitted he will never get over the heartbreak of the Qatar World Cup but is not interested in getting into any kind of rivalry with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Though the Frenchman actually put four past the Albiceleste shot-stopper on the day if his penalty in the shoot-out is included, Martinez has been relentless in his taunting and goading of Mbappe after Argentina's victory earlier this month.
The final was truly one for the ages, with Mbappe all but cementing his status as the player who will take over from Lionel Messi as the world's greatest once the 35-year-old hangs up his boots. While Messi bagged a brace in the final, Mbappe netted a hat-trick - becoming just the second player to do so in a World Cup final after England's Geoff Hurst in 1966.
He may have won the golden boot with eight goals across the whole tournament, but Mbappe has been in the firing line from the Argentina players more than any other Les Bleus star - with Martinez, in particular, taking an apparent disliking to the 24-year-old.
The Aston Villa 'keeper was caught on a video sarcastically asking for a minute's silence for Mbappe, before holding a doll with the forward's face taped on the front on the open tup bus parade back in Argentina - all while awkwardly standing next to Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain teammate Messi.
Though the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is still enjoying his extended break after his World Cup heroics, Mbappe is already back among the goals for his club after netting a last-minute winner for PSG during a 2-1 over Strasbourg on Wednesday night.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Did Martinez go too far in his goading of Mbappe after the game? Comment below
Following that victory, Mbappe was pressed for a comment on Martinez's conduct and replied: "They are not my problem. I don't have the energy to waste on such futile things.
"I'll never digest it. But like I told my coach and teammates, there's no reason that my club should pay for a defeat with my national team, it's two different situations.
"The message was simple – it was to show that, whatever goes on with the national team, PSG is a separate thing and I'm still determined to bring every trophy to the capital."
In response to Martinez's conduct during the World Cup final shoot-out itself, Ian Wright perhaps summed it up best when the Arsenal legend dubbed the Argentine's antics as having "crossed the line".
The former Gunners goalkeeper was guilty of shouting at France players before they stepped up, throwing the ball away from them to go and get themselves and even managed to pick up a yellow card during the spot-kicks.
"I was thinking this guy is going to go to another level of s***housery if this final goes to penalties", Wright told the Ringer's FC podcast. "And he did. I like Emi but what he did in the penalty shootout crossed the line, in respect of sportsmanship. He crossed the line."
