Kylian Mbappé is back in action for France as they face Croatia in the Nations League quarterfinals, marking his return after a six-month absence. On Wednesday, he admitted to past shortcomings in his captaincy.
Now a Real Madrid player, Mbappé will captain Les Bleus in Split for Thursday’s first leg, with the return fixture set for Sunday at Stade de France.
This will be his first start for France since a 3-1 defeat to Italy on Sept. 6 at Parc des Princes, the home stadium of his former club Paris Saint-Germain. Reflecting on that period, Mbappé acknowledged he did not handle his responsibilities well.
“I am self-aware enough to recognize my strengths and weaknesses. I know people were unhappy with my performances on and off the field, and I wasn’t at my best,” he said at a pre-match press conference. “I have no issue with self-criticism. I’ve always accepted fair and well-reasoned criticism.”
Back in September, Mbappé struggled both for Madrid and the national team, initially dismissing public opinion as unimportant. At the time, he also expressed indifference about how PSG fans would react to his return to their stadium after his tense departure.
However, six months later, he admits some of the criticism was justified.
“I didn’t perform well against Italy, and my press conference didn’t unite people the way a captain should,” he conceded. “I accept that, but my focus now is on moving forward and not repeating those mistakes.”
At 26, Mbappé ranks third on France’s all-time scoring list with 48 goals, though he has scored in only two of his last 12 international appearances. There were doubts about whether he would retain the captaincy, but after discussions with coach Didier Deschamps, he remained in the role.
The 2018 World Cup winner missed Nations League matches against Israel and Italy last November due to what Deschamps described as “physical and mental struggles.” He was also absent from a previous France squad due to a minor thigh injury, yet still played for Real Madrid, which angered many French fans and raised questions about his commitment to the national team.
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Despite a slow start at Madrid, Mbappé has found his form, netting 31 goals in 44 matches this season.
“I feel great, I’m enjoying my football,” he said. “I’m happy to be here and help the team.”
Mbappé is closing in on France’s top scorers, with only Thierry Henry (51 goals) and Olivier Giroud (57) ahead of him.
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Mbappé is set to rekindle his attacking partnership with PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, currently the top scorer in the French league.
Both players have surpassed 30 goals this season, but while Mbappé has done so for the seventh consecutive year, Dembélé has reached that milestone for the first time.
“He’s another asset for us,” Mbappé said of his close friend. “His current form gives us more attacking options and makes us even harder to predict.”
As they prepare to face Croatia, Mbappé is confident in their chemistry.
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“We just need to link up well,” he said. “But we know each other inside out, and we’re excited to play together.”
Dembélé, however, has some catching up to do in international play, with only six goals in 53 appearances for France.
Source: With input from agency