What Mbappé's Smile Can Teach Us About Dealing with Difficult Situations
I had just come downstairs after spending some time on the roof with my dog, Chase. As I walked into the living room, I immediately sensed the tension. My French wife, Steph, was visibly frustrated, while our children, who are half Maltese and half French, sat watching the match in anxious silence. France were playing Paraguay, and what should have been a football match was rapidly turning into something far more physical.
Paraguay had not come simply to play football. Heavy tackles, flying elbows from Andrés Cubas and Matías Galarza, and constant psychological games all seemed designed with one purpose: to unsettle France’s captain.
Yet, as tempers flared and players confronted one another, the cameras captured something unexpected. Amid the heat and hostility, Kylian Mbappé’s smile immediately caught my attention.
When the decisive moment arrived in the seventieth minute, his composure never seemed to leave him. Standing over a tournament-defining penalty, Mbappé paused briefly before sending goalkeeper Orlando Gill the wrong way. Even after the final whistle, when a frustrated Gill threw the ball at his back, Mbappé responded with another smile before later saying:
“We can also get our hands dirty. They probably thought we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready.”
If I admired him before, my admiration only grew. I found myself thinking, This is a personality worth observing. This is someone worth studying. How does a footballer operating at the very highest level remain so composed, so grounded, and still wear such a genuine smile under immense pressure?
The Evolution of a Superpower
Watching him made me think about something much bigger than football.
When Mbappé burst onto the scene with Monaco in 2016, his smile seemed to reflect the pure joy of a teenager playing the game he loved. As his reputation grew, however, so did the pressure. During his years at Paris Saint-Germain, he lived under constant media scrutiny, enormous expectations and, at times, public tensions within the club. Like any elite athlete, there were moments when frustration showed.
Watching him today, however, I cannot help noticing that he has evolved. Whether it is the result of maturity, experience, or simply learning to cope with extraordinary pressure, he appears far less reactive than he once was. To me, his smile now seems less like youthful excitement and more like quiet emotional composure.
Against Paraguay, I did not see a player ignoring the intensity of the occasion. I saw someone who refused to let others dictate his emotional state. Whether intentional or instinctive, that composure seemed to steady his teammates while quietly denying his opponents the reaction they were hoping to provoke.
Beyond the Pitch: A Lesson for Everyday Life
One of the most valuable things we can do is recognise qualities we admire in others and intentionally try to develop them in ourselves. For me, Mbappé’s smile offers a lesson that reaches far beyond football.
Many of us live under constant pressure. Deadlines, financial worries, family responsibilities, health concerns, and the expectations we place upon ourselves can slowly drain the enjoyment from the very things we once loved.
We all experience our own “Paraguay moments”. They are the days when life seems determined to test our patience, when criticism comes from every direction, or when setbacks make us question ourselves. Our first instinct is often to become defensive, frustrated, or discouraged. I know it certainly is for me.
Mbappé’s example suggests a different approach.
A positive attitude is not about pretending that problems do not exist. It is about refusing to allow those problems to control our state of mind.
His example reminds me of three valuable lessons.
Positivity protects performance. When our minds remain calm, we think more clearly, make better decisions, and allow our abilities to emerge naturally instead of being overwhelmed by anxiety.
Joy can be surprisingly powerful. A genuine smile often removes the power that anger, criticism, or intimidation seeks to have over us. I definitely need to practise this more often.
Protect your inner world. We cannot control every situation around us, but we can choose how we respond to it. Our circumstances may be difficult, yet we still have a say in the attitude we bring to them.
Final Reflection
France’s victory reminded me that remaining positive is not a sign of weakness. It requires remarkable emotional strength and courage.
By refusing to let pressure steal his joy, Mbappé demonstrated a quality that many of us strive for in our own lives. Resilience is often quieter than we imagine. Sometimes true strength is not found in responding with anger or aggression, but in remaining calm when others expect us to lose control.
Perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all. Life will always bring difficult moments, but we can still choose the spirit in which we face them.
So, the next time life throws one of those “Paraguay moments” our way, perhaps we can remember Mbappé’s smile and choose calm over anger, composure over reaction, and joy over frustration. It may not solve every problem, but it might just change the way we face it.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this reflection, consider subscribing for future posts exploring photography, life, and the stories behind the moments we often take for granted.
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About the Author
Sergio Morana is a photographer, writer, and educator based in Malta. Through photography and writing, he explores life’s meaningful moments, personal growth, and the stories that connect us.
📷 Photography: Holy Communions • Confirmations • Portraits • Family Sessions • Events