France skipper Hugo Lloris felt that it was time for star forward Kylian Mbappe, 23, and the next generation to take over French football after his team suffered a 2-4 defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a thrilling World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.

Mbappe scored a fine hat-trick as the reigning world champions came back from the brink twice to level the affair at 3-3 and take the game into the shootout. However, Argentine goalkeeper and eventual Golden Glove-winner Emiliano Martinez proved too tough to beat from the spot and they lost. “It’s time to pass on the baton from one generation entering the final stage of their careers to a new generation led by Kylian,” said the veteran goalkeeper, who will turn 36 on Boxing Day next week and has played a whopping 145 times for his country.