Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French national team and Real Madrid forward, made headlines on June 11 when he publicly urged coach Didier Deschamps not to take a coaching job in Italy after the 2026 World Cup. His exact words: coaching another team after leading France would be “ugly.”
What Mbappe actually said
Deschamps has led the French national team since 2012. That is a 14-year tenure that includes France’s 2018 World Cup victory.
He confirmed earlier in 2026 that he would step down after the upcoming tournament, hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. The announcement set off speculation about his next destination, with Italian clubs reportedly circling.
“I hope he doesn’t go on to coach another team at the World Cup… That would be ugly.”
