Lloris says 2022 World Cup saw 'passing of baton' to new generation led by Mbappe

France goalkeeper praises star striker 'showing strong leadership during the tournament' in Qatar

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 captain Hugo Lloris said the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup would represent the beginning of a new generation within the national team, with Kylian Mbappe at its head.

The 2018 champions were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Argentina at Lusail Stadium on Sunday night in one of the most thrilling finals in tournament history.

Mbappe scored a hat-trick on the night, with two goals in 97 seconds from the 80th minute wiping out Argentina’s two-goal advantage and sending the game into extra-time.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, 23, struck again in the additional period to make it 3-3, becoming only the second player to register a hat-trick in a World Cup final. England’s Geoff Hurst is the other, for England in 1966.

Mbappe, who starred for France en route to the 2018 title, finished the tournament as top scorer, with eight goals.

Speaking after the defeat, Lloris said the tournament was “a passing of the baton between one generation coming to the final stage of their careers to a new generation led by Kylian”.

“He showed strong leadership in this tournament and even more so in this final," added Lloris. "We must keep this France team at the top.”

Lloris, 36, was bidding to become the first captain to lift two World Cups. The Tottenham goalkeeper is his country’s all-time leading appearance-maker, passing the mark in Qatar. As it stands, he has 145 caps for France.

Asked about the final, Lloris said: “It was like a boxing match: we went blow for blow. We didn't give up. We needed a winner, and it was decided on penalties. That's always cruel. We are empty.

Argentina beat France in World Cup final: Player ratings

“We could have let it slip at 2-0, but we continued to believe that we could turn the game around. We must congratulate Argentina who played a great tournament and a great final.

“There were a lot of great players in both sides. But it’s true that Leo Messi and Kylian Mbappe are very special and I think they were top [in the final], they were top for their team … when you are on the wrong side, it’s always difficult to find the words, it is always painful.”

However, Lloris would not comment too extensively on his international future, saying only: “I need, like everyone, to take a step back, to gain perspective on things.

“We'll see in a few weeks. We're leaving a tournament like this one drained and even more so after what happened tonight. We don't have much strength left. We just want to be back with our families.”

Didier Deschamps also revealed that he will take his time before deciding on whether he will stay on as France manager after his team's heartbreaking defeat.

The 54-year-old, in charge since 2012, is now out of contract but French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet had said Deschamps would be offered new terms if he reached the semi-finals.

Asked whether the result of the final would influence a decision on his future, Deschamps said: “Even with a different result I would not have given an answer today.”

“Obviously I am very sad. I will have a meeting with the president at the start of the new year and you will know after that,” he added.