France forward Ousmane Dembélé has come out in strong defence of national team captain Kylian Mbappé, describing the level of criticism aimed at the striker as excessive and unjust.
Mbappé has been under intense scrutiny in Spain after a difficult, trophyless campaign with Real Madrid, while debates over his leadership role with the national side have also continued in France since he was appointed captain in 2023.
In an interview published on Friday by Spanish outlet Marca, Dembélé said the attention directed at his teammate often goes too far.
“The criticism towards him is very, very unfair,” he said. “Some people go a bit too far with the criticism of Kylian.”
He went on to stress that Mbappé’s global profile tends to amplify reactions from supporters and pundits.
“He’s an incredible player and a very good person off the pitch. Some people overdo the criticism because he’s Kylian Mbappe. They shouldn’t keep going after him.”
Dembélé further noted that even trivial aspects of Mbappé’s behaviour are often blown out of proportion.
Whether he ties his shoelaces or not, whether he pulls up his socks or not… it’s too much. He’s still a human being. With the France team, he’s very good with us, he’s a leader.”
Despite the scrutiny, Dembele himself is enjoying a strong spell of form and is among the frontrunners for the Ballon d’Or after helping Paris Saint-Germain secure consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.
Both he and Mbappé are expected to play central roles for France national football team at the upcoming World Cup, where they will face Senegal, Iraq, and Norway in the group stage.
READ ALSO: Dembele Strike Ends Arsenal’s Unbeaten Home Run in UCL
Dembélé also paid tribute to outgoing head coach Didier Deschamps, who is set to leave his role after the tournament.
“He’s simply an exceptional coach,”Dembélé said. “He will forever remain a legend among French national team coaches.”
Deschamps, who guided France to the 2018 World Cup triumph and the 2022 final, is widely regarded as one of the most successful figures in the country’s football history.
Looking ahead, Dembélé also expressed support for the idea of former France captain Zinedine Zidane eventually taking charge of the national team.
“We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench. I’m convinced he would do a fantastic job,” he said.
Zidane, a 1998 World Cup winner and former Real Madrid manager, has long been linked with the France job but has yet to publicly commit while Deschamps remains in charge.