Ousmane Dembele defended his France captain Kylian Mbappe in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, saying the criticism directed at the Real Madrid star has gone too far. "The criticism towards him is very, very unfair. Some people go a bit too far with the criticism of Kylian," Dembele said. "He's an incredible player and a very good person off the pitch."
Mbappe remains under intense scrutiny both in Spain and in his home nation. Real Madrid has failed to win La Liga or the Champions League in both seasons since his arrival, amplifying pressure on the star. Dembele highlighted the excessive nature of some remarks: "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."
Both players prepare for France's opening World Cup match against Senegal on Tuesday, the first fixture in the group stage. Following Senegal, France faces Iraq and Norway. Dembele also praised coach Didier Deschamps, who announced he will step down after the World Cup following more than a decade in charge.
Asked about the prospect of former France great Zinedine Zidane succeeding Deschamps, Dembele spoke positively. "We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench. I'm convinced he would do a fantastic job," he said. Zidane, who won the World Cup as a player alongside Deschamps in 1998, has long been linked with the France position.