Prateek Tanmay
3 min readJul 5, 2026 02:55 PM IST
France head coach Didier Deschamps has rallied behind Kylian Mbappé after the captain faced scrutiny over his leadership style, saying the forward’s portrayal in the public eye is far from the reality inside the dressing room.
Deschamps addressed the criticism after France’s quarterfinal qualification, brushing aside claims that Mbappé had been transformed by the captain’s armband.
“No, he hasn’t changed. You guys make Kylian Mbappé seem like a dictator… the reality is the opposite,” Deschamps told reporters after the match.
Deschamps addressed the growing chatter around Mbappé’s public persona, which has become a subject of social media memes portraying the 27-year-old as different historical figures. The perception traces back to his PSG days, where he was often viewed as having an outsized say in club affairs – from hiring and firing managers to shaping the squad and influencing team dynamics.
“His public image does not reflect reality at all. Kylian has always been mature and the whole team follows him. I am so happy to have Kylian as captain. Whenever he speaks on and off the pitch, he represents the whole group,” said Deschamps.
Deschamps also said his players were prepared for Paraguay’s physical approach and praised Kylian Mbappé’s leadership after France edged past the South American side 1-0 to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals.
Reflecting on the fiercely contested Round of 16 encounter, Deschamps said his squad had anticipated the nature of the match and managed to remain disciplined throughout.
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“I’ve seen a lot of things,” Deschamps said. “I prepared the players. They were expecting this game. I don’t want to criticise Paraguay. Each team plays the way they want. But there were some insults from the other bench which I could have done without.
“The most important thing is that by the end of the game, there were no disagreements and we didn’t pick up another card,” he added.
Unlike Deschamps, Mbappe did not hold back speaking on Paraguays approach. The French captain made it clear that France is ready to adapt to any style of play, insisting the team can “play ugly” if necessary.
“We knew exactly what kind of game we were in for,” Mbappe said after the match.
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“We’ve shown that we’re not just a team that knows how to play attacking football,” he added. “If we have to get our hands dirty, we’ll do it. They probably thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we know how to play rough too. We won, and we were the better side.”
France will take on Morocco in the quarterfinal at Boston Stadium in Foxborough.
