France captain Kylian Mbappe faces scrutiny heading into the World Cup following a difficult second season at Real Madrid. The 27-year-old has drawn criticism over both his defensive efforts and broader performance issues, and has vowed to address these concerns during the tournament.
"I need to take the extra step with my defensive work because it's something important for the team and I have to do it," Mbappe said in an interview with French newspaper La Parisien. "It will start this time because we want to win, and to win, I'm ready to do whatever because I want to win at all costs."
Mbappe's defensive statistics at Real Madrid last season were notably poor, ranking 1,350th out of 1,490 players in Europe's top five leagues for combined interceptions, blocks, tackles and possession won, with only 0.14 tackles per 90 minutes. As captain following his takeover from Hugo Lloris in 2023, Mbappe carries 12 World Cup goals from 14 previous matches, including a hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina.
Mbappe's increased defensive responsibility could affect his offensive output markets (shots, goals, assists); his captain status and commitment level may shift France's match odds and team-performance markets.
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