FIFA President Gianni Infantino Congratulates Kylian Mbappé on Instagram After Tournament

FIFA President Gianni Infantino used Instagram on August 5, 2026, to publicly congratulate Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé following the conclusion of the World Cup. The post occurred two weeks after the tournament ended, marking a formal acknowledgment from the football governing body’s leadership regarding the player’s performance.

The interaction took place via an Instagram publication where Infantino addressed the French star. While the specific text of the congratulations focused on Mbappé’s role in the tournament, the timing of the post—fourteen days after the final—was noted by observers as an unusual delay for a high-profile sporting commendation.

Mbappé, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has been a central figure in French national team efforts. Infantino’s decision to use a social media platform for this specific outreach reflects a broader trend of sports executives utilizing direct-to-consumer digital channels to manage athlete relations and public image outside of official press conferences.