France star leaps to Kylian Mbappe’s defence after ‘very unfair’ criticism

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMbappe has faced criticism ahead of the World Cup (Getty)France forward Ousmane Dembele has defended teammate Kylian Mbappe, telling Marca that the criticism directed at the Real Madrid striker has become "excessive" and "very, very unfair" ahead of their World Cup campaign. Dembele, a pivotal figure for France and a Ballon d'Or contender, highlighted that some commentators "overdo the criticism because he's Kylian Mbappe”, despite him being “an incredible player and a good person off the pitch, as well as a leader within the national team.”Mbappe has faced intense scrutiny since his 2024 move to Real Madrid, with pundits questioning his performances and leadership after the club failed to secure either La Liga or the Champions League, and following his captaincy of the national team. Dembele also praised coach Didier Deschamps, calling him an "exceptional coach" and a legend, after Deschamps confirmed his intention to step down after the World Cup, concluding over a decade at the helm. Looking to the future, Dembele expressed approval for Zinedine Zidane as a potential successor to Deschamps, stating, "We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench," believing he would do a fantastic job. In fullOusmane Dembele says criticism of Kylian Mbappe has gone ‘too far’ ahead of France’s bid for World Cup gloryThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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