"You Make Him Seem Like A Dictator": France Coach Makes Huge Remark On Kylian Mbappe

France head coach Didier Deschamps defended captain Kylian Mbappe regarding criticism over his leadership during the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. There has been a lot of chatter on social media regarding Mbappe's status in the team with more users even jokingly referring to him as 'dictator'. Deschamps completely dismissed such talks and said that his perceived image is nowhere close to his presence in the squad. "No, he hasn't changed. You make him seem like a dictator. Kylian has an image for some people on the outside that doesn't correspond at all to reality," Deschamps told reporters after Mbappe scored to guide France to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Deschamps said his players were prepared for Paraguay's physical approach.

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.

"I've seen a lot of things," Deschamps said, as quoted by Reuters.

"I have prepared the players. The players were expecting this game. I do not 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," he added.

"The most important thing is that by the end of the game, there were no disagreements and that we (did not) get another card," he said.

Deschamps acknowledged the physical nature of the contest, saying both teams committed numerous fouls.

"We got three yellow cards with a lot of fouls. I'm not saying that we did not make any fouls, but there were a lot from both teams."

The France coach also dismissed suggestions that Mbappe had only recently developed into a mature leader, insisting the striker had always displayed those qualities while representing the national team.

"There was a lot of media saying that he has evolved," Deschamps said, as quoted by Reuters. "I don't want to contradict myself, but Kylian has an image for you that is far from reality."

"I don't want to lie. I've said from the first day that he had this spirit. He gave all his athletic efforts. He's a great top-notch player on the pitch. But when he speaks, he speaks for the entire group."

(With ANI inputs)

Featured Video Of The Day

Topics mentioned in this article

France Paraguay Mbappe 2026 FIFA World Cup Football