Deschamps: Mbappé is an exemplary captain, not a dictator

French national football team coach Didier Deschamps has publicly defended star player Kylian Mbappé, refuting claims that he acts like a "dictator" within the team. Deschamps asserted that Mbappé is, in fact, an "exemplary captain" whose contributions significantly surpass mere goal-scoring. "Many think Kylian is a kind of dictator who only thinks of himself, but he is someone who, as captain, is exemplary," Deschamps stated during a press conference following France's 2-0 victory over Morocco, which secured their place in the World Cup semifinals. He emphasized that Mbappé's leadership is evident in his on-field performance, regardless of the goals he nets. Deschamps also addressed the unusual delay that preceded Mbappé's penalty kick in the match, admitting he still doesn't fully understand the reason for the extended pause. He described the situation as involving a VAR review, followed by another call to examine a foul, leading to a nearly two-minute wait before Mbappé could take his shot. "I don't want to make excuses for Kylian, but obviously it was not an easy situation," Deschamps commented. The coach praised his players' resilience after they missed several clear chances in the first half. "In the first half, with that penalty saved and the three chances, we lacked effectiveness; but that doesn't create doubt in my players' minds, much less in Kylian's," he said. France is set to face the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium in the semifinals.

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Many think Kylian is a kind of dictator who only thinks of himself, but he is someone who, as captain, is exemplary. He demonstrates it with what he does on the field, beyond all the goals he scores.