Mbappe won't 'waste energy' on Argentina goalkeeper Martinez's World Cup taunts

French star was mocked after the South Americans' win in the World Cup final

Lionel Messi holds up the trophy after Argentina defeated France on penalties in the World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, on Sunday, December 18, 2022. AP

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after beating France. AP

France's Kylian Mbappe walks past the trophy at the end of the match. AP

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds up the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament. AP

Argentina celebrate victory at Lusail Stadium. Getty

Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the trophy after beating France 4-2 on penalties. EPA

Argentina celebrate victory. AP

Argentina captain Lionel Messi celebrates with World Cup trophy. PA

Kylian Mbappe of France with his Golden Boot award for finishing as the tournament's top scorer. EPA

Argentina players celebrate after winning the World Cup final penalty shoot-out against France. Getty

Argentina players celebrate victory. Getty

Argentina's Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi celebrate after winning the World Cup. Reuters

Argentina's Leandro Paredes celebrates scoring the winning penalty against France. Getty

Argentina's Leandro Paredes celebrates scoring during the penalty shoot-out against France. Reuters

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saves from Kingsley Coman of France in the penalty shoot-out. Getty

Lionel Messi scores for Argentina in the penalty shoot-out. Getty

Emiliano Martinez of Argentina celebrates after saving Kingsley Coman's penalty. Getty

Kylian Mbappe completes his hat-trick from the spot to make it 3-3. Getty

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his, and France's, third goal. Getty

Lionel Messi scores Argentina's third goal. Getty

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring Argentina's third goal. Getty

Lionel Messi scores Argentina's third goal. Reuters

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring Argentina's third goal. PA

Argentina's Lionel Messi goes for a high challenge on Eduardo Camavinga of France. Getty

Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after scoring Argentina's third. AFP

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is beaten by the penalty of France's Kylian Mbappe. Getty

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring France's second goal. PA

Argentina's Nicolas Otamendi fouls Randal Kolo Muani of France giving away a penalty. Getty

Kylian Mbappe volleys home France's second goal. Getty

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria skips past the challenge of France's Antoine Griezmann. PA

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the first France goal. Getty

Kylian Mbappe scores France's first goal from the penalty spot. Reuters

Angel Di Maria celebrates scoring Argentina's second goal. Reuters

Argentina's Lionel Messi sends France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way from the spot. Getty

France's Kylian Mbappe with Lionel Messi of Argentina. Getty

Angel Di Maria scores for Argentina in the first-half. Getty

France's Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Adrien Rabiot after Argentina made it 2-0. PA

Argentina's Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring with France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris on his knees. Reuters

Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico and Randal Kolo Muani fight for the ball. AP

Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring for Argentina. Getty

Lionel Messi is mobbed by Argentina teammates after scoring. Getty

France's Jules Kounde heads the ball. AP

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring for Argentina. Getty

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria earns a penalty after going down under the challenge of France's Ousmane Dembele. Getty

France's Olivier Giroud shakes hands with manager Didier Deschamps after being substituted in the first half. PA

Lionel Messi scores from the spot for Argentina. PA

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a first-half penalty for Argentina. Getty

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saves from Argentina's Julian Alvarez. AP

France manager Didier Deschamps, left, with his Argentina counterpart Lionel Scaloni before the game. AP

Argentina players before the match. AP

France players before the match. Getty

France's World Cup star Kylian Mbappe said he wants to move on from the painful experiences after the World Cup 2022 final in Qatar, which included taunts from Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Martinez was widely criticised for his over-the-top celebrations. He was instrumental in Argentina's penalty shootout victory over France but later repeatedly derided Mbappe by first calling for a minute's silence for the France and PSG player during his team's dressing-room celebrations at the Lusail Stadium, and then posing with an Mbappe doll during the victory parade.

The 24-year-old returned to action on Wednesday as he won and converted a 96th minute penalty to give PSG a last-gasp 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Ligue 1's resumption following the World Cup break.

When asked about his thoughts on Martinez's celebrations, Mbappe was quoted saying by RMC Sport and BBC that "celebrations are not my problem".

"Don't waste energy on such futile things, the important thing for me is to give the best of myself for my club," he added.

Mbappe, however, said he will never get over the disappointment of losing the World Cup final.

"I think I'm never going to get over it," Mbappe added.

"As I said to my teammates, there is no reason why the club should pay the price for the failure of the national team, they are two very different situations.

"It does me good to come back with a win and to have a link with the club, the supporters and my teammates."

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring Paris Saint-Germain's second goal from penalty spot during the Ligue 1 match against Strasbourg at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, December 28, 2022. AP

Kylian Mbappe celebrates with Achraf Hakimi after scoring a penalty for PSG against Strasbourg. AFP

Kylian Mbappe after scoring his match-winning penalty. AFP

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a penalty against Strasbourg. AFP

Kylian Mbappe celebrates with Sergio Ramos and Achraf Hakimi. AFP

Neymar argues with referee Clement Turpin after being shown a red card. AP

Neymar dives in the penalty area to earn a second yellow card. AFP

Neymar argues with referee Clement Turpin. AFP

Marquinhos celebrates after scoring the opening goal for PSG. EPA

Strasbourg's Adrien Thomasson and teammates celebrate after equalising through an own gal from Marquinhos. Reuters

Strasbourg players celebrate the own goal scored by Marquinhos. Reuters